The current food and agriculture situation in Japan

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Yosuke OtaWTO and EPA office

Agricultural policy departmentCentral Union of Agricultural Cooperatives

(JA-ZENCHU)

Agricultural situationin Japan

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Situation of Japanese agriculture

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Structural change of agriculture in Japan

1965 75 85 95 2005

Cultivated area (Unit: 1,000ha)

6,000 5,570 5,380 5,040 4,690

Abandoned cultivated area(Unit: 1,000ha)

131 135 244 386

Total numbers of farmer’s houses (Unit: 1,000 houses)

5,660 4,950 4,230 3,440 2,850

Agricultural workforce(Unit: 1,000 people)

8,940 4,890 3,460 2,560 2,240

over 65 years old 19.5% 39.7% 57.4%

AbandonedArea

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SceneryIn Rural area

International comparison

Japan United States ofAmerica

EU Australia

Cultivated land(Unit: million hectares)

5 173 121 45

Comparing with Japan - 37x 26x 10x

Cultivated land per a farmer(Unit: a hectare)

2 182 17 3,408

Comparing with Japan - 99x 9x 1,862x

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The value of agricultural production and net agricultural income.

Trend of the value of agricultural production by product category

others

fruit

vegetable

livestock

Rice

Unit: billion yen

1991 2001 2006

Trend of agricultural income

3,000

2,800

1,200

2,700

3,800

2,400

1,000

2,100

2,800

2,300

1,900800

2,100

3,000

1,900

13,400

10,1009,700 Unit: trillion yen

2006200019951990

6.1

5.04.0

3.2

1 US$ = 84.93 yen (24th Sep, 2010)

Agricultural policy in Japan

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Establishment of the renewed Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas.

Targets in 2020 of production volume (Unit: 1,000t) Wheat: 880 (2008) → 1,800 (2020) Soybean: 260 (2008) → 600 (2020) Rice for rice flour: 1 (2008) → 500 (2020) Rice for animal feed: 9 (2008) → 700 (2020)

Total planted area(10,000ha) 426(2008) 　→ 495(2020)

Establishment of the renewed Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas.

Targets in 2020 of production volume (Unit: 1,000t) Wheat: 880 (2008) → 1,800 (2020) Soybean: 260 (2008) → 600 (2020) Rice for rice flour: 1 (2008) → 500 (2020) Rice for animal feed: 9 (2008) → 700 (2020)

Total planted area(10,000ha) 426(2008) 　→ 495(2020)

Action to expand the participation of women in society, Japan

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10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

005032001 07

28%

72%

2,499

41%37%31%

69%

2,971

64%

3,298

59%

3,455

7,3278,186

9,0509,533

Source: MAFF

No. of businesses

Sales of 3 million yen or more

Groupbusiness

Individualbusiness

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WelfareActivity

CookingClass

AGRICULTURAL TRADE

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Dependence heavily on imported agricultural products from specific countries

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Japan’s import trading partnerJapan’s import trading partner Imported agricultural productsImported agricultural products

Corn

BeefWheat

Soybean

USA USA

USAAustralia

AustraliaUSA

Canada

BrazilUSA

ChinaAustralia

Canada

other

Total import Value

71 billion US$

(2008)

Structures of Agriculture tariff in Japan

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About 10%

About 20%

About 70%

Few products

75%

25%

50%

TariffRates

Rice, Wheat, Dairy, Sugar

Number of tariff lines

Orange juice, Ice cream

Vegetable, cut flower

The effect on domestic agricultural sector in case of abolition of tariffs on all agricultural tariffs

(government estimate)

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The value of agricultural production ▲42 billion US$The value of agricultural production ▲42 billion US$

Self-sufficient ratio 40% 12%Self-sufficient ratio 40% 12%

Employment Opportunities ▲3.75 millionEmployment Opportunities ▲3.75 million

Gross Domestic Product ▲106 billion US$Gross Domestic Product ▲106 billion US$

DOHA DEVELOPMENT ROUND OF WTO

WTO: World Trade Organization

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Advocate of JA-Group on WTO

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28th Jun, 2006: GenevaJoint statement by agricultural organizations from 54 countries.“Don’t sell food concerns for trade”• Gives developing countries with vulnerable agricultural sectors real opportunities to improve their situation• The current trade talks in WTO are focused on a single objective – to promote more trade – and ignore these wider concerns.

28th Jun, 2006: GenevaJoint statement by agricultural organizations from 54 countries.“Don’t sell food concerns for trade”• Gives developing countries with vulnerable agricultural sectors real opportunities to improve their situation• The current trade talks in WTO are focused on a single objective – to promote more trade – and ignore these wider concerns.

19th Mar, 2009: RomeCommon Declaration of Farmers’ Union of the G8 member countries.• Food is essential and should not be considered simply as another commodity; improving agricultural productivity and competitiveness must therefore be a central part of development policies.

19th Mar, 2009: RomeCommon Declaration of Farmers’ Union of the G8 member countries.• Food is essential and should not be considered simply as another commodity; improving agricultural productivity and competitiveness must therefore be a central part of development policies.

Advocate of JA-Group on WTO

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18th Mar, 2010: TokyoInternational Symposium on WTO Agricultural Negotiation• Draft WTO agreement would be in total contradiction with international commitments undertaken by WTO Member State such as the UN Millennium Development Goals, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural Rights which aim at reducing and preventing poverty and hunger.

18th Mar, 2010: TokyoInternational Symposium on WTO Agricultural Negotiation• Draft WTO agreement would be in total contradiction with international commitments undertaken by WTO Member State such as the UN Millennium Development Goals, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural Rights which aim at reducing and preventing poverty and hunger.

25th Feb, 2010: HanoiJoint Statement of the Asian Farmers’ group for Cooperation: India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. • Commercialization and intensification of agriculture in the context of globalization and liberalization are often proceeded to the detriment of small farmers. It’s important to facilitate cooperation among farmers in Asia, while avoiding unnecessary conflicts and competition among them.

25th Feb, 2010: HanoiJoint Statement of the Asian Farmers’ group for Cooperation: India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. • Commercialization and intensification of agriculture in the context of globalization and liberalization are often proceeded to the detriment of small farmers. It’s important to facilitate cooperation among farmers in Asia, while avoiding unnecessary conflicts and competition among them.

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Conservation of the global environment

Conservation of biodiversity

Prevention of sediment disaster and soil conservation

Watershed cultivation

Prevention of soil erosion

Prevention oflandsides

Prevention of flooding by retaining rainwater

Matter production

Formation of a comfortable environment

Cultural functions

Water purification

Formation of a good landscape

Watershed cultivation Maintenance of

cultural traditionsClimate alleviation

mechanism

Health and recreation functions

Organic waste disposal

Conservation of the ecosystem

Water purificationConservation of the ecosystem

Provision of exchange opportunities

Maintenance of traditional fishing methods and other

examples of traditional culture

Supplementing the circulation of nitrogen and phosphorus through fishing

Conservation of the marine environment

Marine salvage

Disaster relief

Monitoring of the marine environment

Multiple functions carried out by Agriculture, forestry and fisheries