Abstract
This paper explores the current situation of the food systems from the perspective of global linkages and value chain building in East Asian countries. The East Asian economy has been growing at a rapid rate after 1980s. According to official index of East Asian trade amount in the World increased by more than 20 times from 1980 to 2008. This is a high rate of growth even by World trade. Food trade and per capita food consumption also Rose during this period, the diet, high in livestock products, high in processed foods, low in grains and pulses. The current East-Asian Food System are dramatically different from what it was two decades ago. Over the last two decades, the Japan's food processing sector has increasingly participated in the internationalization of the Japanese economy. Imports and exports have increased simultaneously for a Japan's food and agriculture products. East Asian processed food exports to Japan and sales by Japanese-owned food processing affiliates in ASEAN and China are growing rapidly. Processed food exports to Japan increased from $1,154 million in 1985 to $15,953 million in 2008. The food systems linkages that have had and will continue to have a bold impact on the future structure of the East Asian food system. The most obvious linkage is the trade and foreign direct investment of food sectors of the East Asian food system.
