2019 Volume 21 Pages 56-62
Agriculture and food in Japan have characteristics of a newly developed country. In addition, its trade in agricultural products differs from that of developed countries on new continents or the EU, depending largely on the food and feed imported from abroad. Long-term analysis of these characteristics will be especially useful for further development of Monsoon Asian countries. Japan’s agricultural trade policy reflects two viewpoints which differ from the classical theory of free trade. One is concern about food security and the other is respect for multi-functional roles of agriculture. Regarding food security, we should be careful about the difference between the concept in developed countries and developing countries. Multi-functionality can commonly be respected among EU and Asian countries ; both have a long history of rural areas. Taking into consideration international income disparity, there is some concern about the FTA and EPA system.
