This study clarifies econometrically the price elasticity of demand for Japanese beef, which is well-known globally as Wagyu. Further, it delineates the level of competitiveness between Japanese beef and general beef, that is, the beef produced outside of Japan, in the markets of China, the U.S., the EU, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In doing so, it provides proper suggestions for increasing the export of Japanese beef. The main analysis results were as follows. First, the results of the own-price elasticity of demand for Japanese beef in all five markets showed that the demand quantity of Japanese beef is expected to increase. However, the total export value will decrease when its price decreases. Second, the results of the cross-price elasticity of demand showed that demand for Japanese beef will be affected by the price of general beef on the U.S. and EU markets. In the other three markets, these two types of beef were deemed differentiated. Third, although the demand for Japanese beef will increase as its price decreases, extra promotion strategies are needed to differentiate Japanese beef from general beef on the U.S. and EU markets.

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This study outlines a vertical adjustment operations for a non-conventional cultivated fruit and vegetable supply chain for e-commerce. This study focuses on the behavior of two professional wholesale merchants mainly handling non-conventional cultivated fruits and vegetables that make transactions between producers and an e-commerce company. The operations of a vertical adjustment approach for a non-conventional cultivated fruit and vegetable supply chain for e-commerce for these wholesalers is where one wholesale merchant adjusts the fixed price and trading means, converting transactions through the internet and FAX, and the other merchant procures and ships non-conventional fruits and vegetables together within a main sales channel. They stabilize the otherwise unstable e-commerce supply chain from small and capricious customers from all over the country, thereby ensuring efficiency while at the same time securing a rich assortment or product available for e-commerce.

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Despite the significant amount of research on Japanese food companies' local production and marketing, their pricing strategies remain unclear. This study clarifies the pricing strategies that Japanese food companies take when expanding their markets through a case study of a superior Japanese meat processing company. While the wholesale price of Chinese pork fluctuated wildly, the case study company reduced costs by sourcing 20 percent of its raw materials from the EU. Furthermore, in light of frequent meat safety issues, the company procured 80 percent of the raw materials from Chinese companies with records of high safety standards to ensure the safety of raw materials. In addition to these raw materials procurement strategies, the company managed to expand its B2B sales route by selling products produced with Japanese technology at a moderate price point.

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This paper outlines the current situation of contract transactions for medium-scale fruit processing companies in China, as well as the changes in the supply of raw materials and their effects before and after signing of contracts. Based on interview surveys of the heads of processing companies and the agricultural bureau in Mancheng County, Hebei Province, the following points are identified. The implementation of contractual transactions by processing companies has resulted in shortening the number of days required to supply raw materials, ensuring that the raw materials are fresh and the unit price of the raw materials is reduced. Therefore, contractual transactions have promoted the expansion of sales areas, processing volume and sales of processed goods. Depending on the processing company's motivation for signing the contract, the final processed products are also different. However, the product structure of companies that have signed contracts for subsidies has not changed notably. As a result, contract driven, manufacturing and sales oriented medium-sized processing companies have made progress in contract transactions for raw materials, providing these companies significant advantages.

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This paper examined the production of lemons in the Ocho village of Hiroshima Prefecture as a case study of constructing a food value chain by a citrus marketing organization aiming for the sustainability of such a traditional citrus producing district. Lemon production is increasing as a sector in Japanese citrus agriculture and occupies an important position in particular in the citrus production sector of Hiroshima Prefecture. However, determination of the sector profit being maximally returned to the citrus farmers has proven difficult because there are so few processors in this region. Investigation of the cases of citrus marketing organizations in this region has shown that the existence of an organization that carries out raw material shipments according to the farmers' needs adds to the new food value chain for lemon processing.

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This paper clarifies the food business and logistics strategy of Secoma Company, Limited in Hokkaido, focusing on three points. First, the company has a large number of group companies that mainly produce and procure raw materials for PB products sold in the retail industry. Second, this makes it possible to realize a food business supply chain that includes raw material production, manufacturing, wholesale, logistics, and both retail and external sales, all managed in a manner that matches customer needs. This management model not only nurtures the raw materials production area, but also protects both the livelihoods of residents in that area and the specificity of the production space. Third, the logistics business in this case realizes cost reduction as not only distribution centers, group companies, and retail stores, but also raw material production areas and manufacturing factories are distributed throughout Hokkaido and therefore can coordinate effectively with different temperature conditions. In this way, company business development contributes to regional revitalization so as to increase the value of area agricultural production while also carrying out retail business that contributes to the overall system development of Hokkaido. This business strategy allows for efficient logistics; in particular, a reduction of empty cargo space by virtue of distribution of group companies to various parts of Hokkaido instead of concentrating them in urban areas and realization of delivery at frozen and refrigerated temperatures by virtue of devising delivery vehicles with variable temperature ranges.

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