Export of agricultural products from Japan

A Case Study of Chinese Yam

Abstract

In this study, I report recent trends in the export of agricultural products from Japan. Owing to government policies that encourage export, the amount of agricultural products exported from Japan has undergone a continuous increase, despite temporary stagnation following the East Japan Great Earthquake and Nuclear Accident. The main vegetables exported are Chinese yam, sweet potato, mushroom, and cabbage. Field studies in two production areas in Hokkaido Prefecture, from where Chinese yam is exported, revealed that the main incentive for exporting the crop was to cope with the lower market price caused by occasional good yields. Competition among production areas has increased the possibility of expansion to new export countries.