Funatsu studied the collection and disposal systems and activities of waste agricultural plastics (WAP) in Japan, Korea and China, presenting several important views. This study re-examined the conditions in these countries and further identified these views as well as new issues. First of all, while the public corporation (ENVICO), which collaborated with local governments, set up many WAP collection points in rural areas, most farmers discharged wastes not at the designated points but rather around their fields. Second, farmers in China leave most low quality WAP around their fields due to lack of collection systems; higher quality WAP is collected by private collectors. Third, differing from Japan, one big reason that WAP are treated as resources in Korea and China is that the farmers, as resource possessors, need not to take responsibility for their proper disposal. Fourth, although Funatsu prescribed that all operations should be dealt with positive pricing, in fact, only high quality firms used positive pricing. ENVICO must give incentives which come from tax and levy to the farmers for WAP collection. Fifth, Korea pursues domestic recycling of all quantity of WAP as the resources introducing material and thermal recycling, although Funatsu described this as oriented toward exports. This also differs from Japan, where reclamation, incineration and recycling are conducted. Sixth, before considering the connected East Asian system as Funatsu described, there are many problems to solve in China alone.

View full abstract

This paper argues how the division rules of raw milk, which had been established by HOKUREN, a monopolistic agricultural cooperative, changed the raw milk market structure in Hokkaido. A focus of this analysis is the "Priority Use" sale rule, which separates raw milk for "Priority Use", for example liquid milk products, on demand for raw materials of milk processing companies. Since the 1990s, the raw milk market structure in Hokkaido has changed in terms of equalization of big milk processing companies' market shares and diversification of sale uses. A factor in this shift is correspondence of the market conducts between HOKUREN and a part of milk processing companies to increase "Priority Use", because HOKUREN would avoid decreasing raw milk production in response to a reduction of "Processing Use" quotas since 1990s, and the companies would increase or regulate raw materials purchases efficiently. As a result, the market performances are more competitive price setting and dispersion of risk involved in milk business for HOKUREN. However, there is possibility of happening a conflict of supply and demand adjustment costs between milk firms, or HOKUREN and firms.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

After the first half of 1970's, when the citrus market experienced structural oversupply, a segregation strategy was developed in citrus producing areas. The segregation strategy in the producing areas is a marketing strategy which aims to get the exclusive position in the citrus market by focusing on variety, shipping season, or destination which is suitable for the natural / social conditions of the producing areas and practicing the marketing activities such as strict quality control. There are three factors which have influenced the development of the marketing strategy. First, quality of citrus fruits is greatly influenced by natural aptitude. Second, while satsuma orange accounts for large proportion, the citrus fruits are composed of various varieties. Third, the citrus producing areas are spread throughout the whole western part of Japan and include metropolitan suburban districts. The marketing strategy has contributed both to survival of the various citrus producing areas, including some under bad conditions, and the growth of demand to some extent. However the limits of the strategy have become clear recently. First, there are not enough exclusive positions for every citrus producing area. Second, even if segregation is realized, increase in production of each variety causes overproduction and decline in prices. Nowadays the importance of relationship marketing is emphasized in agricultural markets. It is important for the citrus producing areas to practice integrated marketing which includes a segregation strategy for producing area and relationship marketing.

View full abstract

This paper investigates biofuel production in Japan. Biofuel is defined as fuel derived from biological material recently dead, and it can be produced from any biological carbon source. However, in this paper, we specify the 'waste' fruit produce in Japan as the source of the biofuel for the economic reason since the material cost is, theoretically, minimal. Japan currently imports almost all its biofuel from abroad. But when we use the domestic waste fruit for producing the renewable fuel, dependency of fuel upon the foreign market can be much reduced. We calculated the expected waste-fruit volume which can be used as biofuel at each prefectural or city government level. The result showed that an average of 6.7 percent waste-fruit ethanol is obtainable for the expected production volume of biofuel in 2012. Note that there are prefectures that can supply more than 30 percent, and some areas are capable of producing 80 percent of waste-fruit ethanol. Thus we conclude that waste-fruit ethanol is a positive measure to help contribute to the reduction of the global warming.

View full abstract

The objective of this paper is to clarify the feature and difficulty of correspondence of high quality fruits production. The Maana district, known as a bland mandarin producing area, realizes correspondence of high quality fruits production, with each farmer organization cooperating and carrying out role assignment. On the other hand, this district has a problem in reservation of the labor force required for production of high quality fruits, and in addition, there is a limit in the excessive strategy of high sugar content. For improving correspondence of high quality fruits production, it is important to utilize optical sensor data for systematic mandarin production from now on.

View full abstract

Korea, which completed its tenth year under the WTO system, in 2005 abolished the traditional dual price system and introduced a "Rice Income Compensating System". In addition, in 2006, it enforced a new method of rice selling, a "Rice Consignment Sale System". The former was uniformly established over the whole country as a capital management system in order to support the expected fall in rice prices. The latter recognized the autonomy of the capital management as a system to activate the faculty of private distribution. This paper considers these two systems and studies their influence on producing areas regarding the results and objectives of the enactment and the structure and the main guidelines. Specially, this paper analyses the level of income compensation in the producing areas under respective rice compensating systems and examines the application of the capital financing in the producing areas regarding the consignment system. The changes in the rice policy in Korea have favored the good producing fields of rice, which would constitute reconstruction of the rice production according to the theory of a market economy. The scope of this analysis characterizes the policies supporting the sales expansion and the encouragement of the good rice field production areas.

View full abstract

This report clarifies the reason for the conversion from Indica rice to Japonica rice production of farmers in the Mekong River delta, Vietnam, by comparing the management features by Japonica rice contract cultivation farmers with those of Indica rice in the My Hoa District, Long Xuyen City. The results are as follows: First, in Japonica rice production, more intensive labor is demanded but relatively high sale prices and higher farm incomes are achieved by thorough post-harvest quality control. Therefore, the ratio of full-time farm household of Japonica rice increases over that for Indica rice. However, it is necessary to consider future environmental problems, as both fertilizer amount and planting frequency increase. Second, based on its high profitability, the number of farmers who intend to expand Japonica rice production through the use of leased land and employed labor have increased. The rent is formed within the surplus of Japonica rice. Therefore, conditions for conversion from Indica rice to Japonica rice production and development of management by leased land are formed.

View full abstract

Plant breeder's right in China is a rather new intellectual property right. China joined with the 1978 Act of the UPOV Convention in 1999. Compared to Japan, the number of applications for plant breeder's right is less for ornamental plants than in other areas. To clarify the situation for the protection of plant breeder's right, a questionnaire survey of growers in China and Japan was undertaken. Clear differences between the countries could be seen in the understanding, the utilization and the recognition of plant breeder's right. To develop more respect for plant breeder's right in China, in addition to the enacting of laws, awareness of plant breeder's right among breeders and growers must be developed.

View full abstract

This study examines the distribution and sale of Japanese product green tea in Taiwan, with the purpose of the study to clarify the problems in export of Japanese product green tea for Taiwan. First, while Japan-produced "Japanese Tea" was sold for high-income class in Taiwan and both Japan-produced and Taiwan-produced "Japanese Tea" were sold for middle-income class, only "Japanese Tea" which was Taiwan produced was sold in low-income class. Therefore at middle-income class, Japanese-produced green tea begins to compete with Taiwan-produced "Japanese Tea". In the future, it is important to sell positively for middle-income class for export expansion of Japanese product green tea for Taiwan.

View full abstract

This paper focuses on the features of rural factories in Makou Town and clarifies the employee conditions. The results are shown as follows based on the investigation: the rural industry in Makou Town has been turning to labor-intensive industries after China's participation in the WTO. On the other hand, with the development of rural industrialization, women in rural areas have increased incomes with the increase of employment opportunities. However, because the employment conditions in rural areas factory remain limited, there is a limit to the progress of full-scale wage labor.

View full abstract