FOOD SECURITY IN

Egereva Elizaveta
Zunduijamts Uuriintuya
Do Thi Ngoc Anh
IFF 3-1
Content Content 1
Introduction: Situation in Japan

Content 2
Policies to ensure food security
Content 3
Risks for Japanese food security

Content 4
Direction for food security in Japan

Content 5
Conclusion
Introduction
• Problems of food security existed since ancient times
• In 2014–2016: 795 million people: suffering from chronic hunger

• Problem of food security for Japan is different

• Food security = increasing the self-sufficiency ratio of food by increasing the domestic
production.
• Food self-sufficiency ratio on a calorie basis

• Today the problem for Japan is not only being self-sufficient in traditionally
consumed food but also for the western style food.
 Situation in Japan
• In 2014: 12.0% was arable land, 3.1% residential area
and 66.3% forest area -> limited arable land -> the main
obstacle to agriculture.
• Food security emerged during the 1960s rapid
economic growth.
• people’s dietary pattern changed from traditional to the
western -> demand for western style food -> importing
food.
• Limited arable land, the declining farming population,
small size farms contributed to the decline in the
domestic agriculture productivity & self-sufficiency
ratio on calories basis
• Incidents: bad productivity in USA, Nixon embargo on
soybeans export and the Arab oil crisis Food self-sufficiency ratio on calories basis was 79%
• Can’t guarantee the continuous and stable supply of food. in 1960 and declined to 38% in 2016.
Policies to ensure food security
• The Food Control Law of 1942:
• main objective: control the production, supply, distribution and prices of food
• helped Japan to gain self-sufficiency in basic food particularly that of rice.

• Agricultural Basic Law of 1961:

• Objective: remove the gap between income and productivity of industrial workers &
farm workers
• the government provided subsidies to rice farmers -> rise in productivity of rice while
other crops declined.
• the rise in a number of part-time farmers because rice farming had more benefits
 Policies to ensure food security
• New Food Law 1995:
• In 1993: rice crisis (poor
harvest) -> import rice.
• The government: no control
over price, distribution or
management of agriculture
commodities.
• Farmers could now sell them
directly to the
wholesaler/consumer.
• New Basic Law on Food,
Agriculture and Rural Areas
1999:
• Objective: ensure a stable
supply of food, multi
functionality of agriculture,
sustainable development of
agriculture and promotion of
rural development.
Risks for Japanese food security
• Water shortages and droughts -> short supplies of the grains for which Japan is
reliant on imports.
• Lack of quality materials in less-developed agricultural countries -> prevents further
productivity gains.
• Production shortfalls. The countries that Japan relies on for imports experience
impacts from climate change.
• Lack of quality to satisfy Japanese demand. Quality improvements
Risks for Japanese food security
Risks for Japanese food security
• Lack of an export infrastructure
in the Americas and less-
developed agricultural
countries -> new approaches:
air routes from the Russian Far
East.
• Inability to purchase due to a
decline in Japan’s purchasing
power.
• Political risks due to global food
shortfalls: export bans,
protectionist policies, closures
of export routes
Japan: Share of global gross domestic product (GDP) adjusted
for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) from 2012 to 2022
Direction for food security in Japan:

Policies and programs are

approached comprehensively and Risks are controlled by leveraging
include import strategy: provide Japan’s strengths in building
future import security due to the interdependent relationships.
impact of long-term global trends.

Japan’s priorities: addressing food Japanese private-sector companies

security challenges, improving ability contribute to food security as an
to take preventative measures in extension of their business activities,
response to changes in trends and and the public is actively involved in
risks. food security.
Conclusion
• Food security: require individuals and organizations at all levels of society to take
responsibilities.
• The first step: increase the public’s awareness of food security.
• A commitment from the private sector

• Farms: preserve farmland and improve productivity so that domestic production is

protected.
• Japanese agriculture still has great potential to export excellent agricultural and food
technologies as well as quality food products.

• Local governments: the allocation of food within Japan - domestic allocation, the
delivery of food to consumers.
• Securing supply chains during times of emergency and providing stockpiles.
Sources
• https://medium.com/indrastra/japans-food-security-problem-increasing-self-
sufficiency-in-traditional-food-f48937a757c5
• http://foodsecurityindex.eiu.com/Country/Details#Japan
• https://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/asia-pacific/food-security-in-japan-
building-a-strategy-in-an-age-of-global-competition
• https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/global%20themes/asia%20pacific/f
ood%20security%20in%20japan%20building%20a%20strategy%20in%20an%20a
ge%20of%20global%20competition/building-a-food-security-strategy-for-japan-
in-an-age-of-global-competition-english.ashx
• Report chapter 5 page 33
Thank you for attention!