Abstract
Chicken and chicken products have been imported a lot in the last two decades in Japan because of the strong currency. The price of lived-birds in per kg. have been about twice in Japan than that in mainland China, U. S. A. and Thailand, particularly the costs of production has been three times in Japan than that of China. Therefore, the chicken imported has been increased and the self-sufficiency rate has declined sharply from 100% in 1960, to 82.2% in 1990 and 77.1% in 1993. The ratio of custom-duties for the chickens imported has been cut according to the final agreement of the Uruguay Round. Therefore, the chickens imported will increase in future in Japan. In the present circumstances, the basic directions of broiler Industry are to cut the costs both in production and processing and to develop the rarity of high valued products.
