貿易自由化に伴う我が国植物油業界の構造転換 : TPP参加による食品製造業への影響を中心に

抄録

There is growing concern that increases in agricultural products import, as a result of Japan's TPP participation, might affect domestic raw materials manufacturing industries, as well as primary industry like agricultural production. Taking vegetable oil industry as a case, this paper examines the industrial structure and competitive strategy from the viewpoint of Porter's 'five forces model' to illustrate the trends of structural change. The analysis reveals that the vegetable oil producing companies are trying to achieve horizontal integration, accelerate overseas operations, enter downstream industries, and rationalize their management. These trends are also observed in the flour industry, another important basic material industry in Japan. These results imply that globalization might hollow out upstream industries and intensify competition among companies in downstream industries.