GLOBAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF CHANGE INTO JAPANESE DIET ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD SYSTEMS

Abstract

 Japan has the second lowest per capita meat consumption among the 38 OECD countries. It is known that transitioning to a diet with lower meat consumption has a large effect on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, we defined the recommended diet in Japan as the Japanese diet and analyzed the effects on the environment and food systems in the case where the low meat consumption Japanese diet becomes widespread globally. The results showed that the spread of the Japanese diet increased global GHG emissions in 2050 by 6.6% compared to the baseline scenario without dietary changes. This increase was mainly due to a rise in GHG emissions in Africa, driven by changes in global food prices and demand, leading to increased production of rice and meat in Africa, where they can be produced more cheaply than in other regions. In order to promote the Japanese diet as an environmental measure, it is necessary to shift from meat to protein sources such as soybeans and seafood, and to take measures to reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation.