This study uses multiple regression to empirically analyse the relationship between loans from executives and financial strategies of agricultural corporations. The cash holdings ratio is used as an indicator of financial strategy. The key findings are as follows: (1) A negative relationship exists between the balance of loans from executives and the cash holdings ratio; (2) In corporations that increased loans from executives during the year, a higher operating cash flow to total assets ratio is associated with a higher cash holdings ratio in the same year; and (3) In these corporations, a higher operating cash flow to total assets ratio is linked to a lower cash holdings ratio in the subsequent year. These results suggest that agricultural corporations utilizing loans from executives tend to adopt financial strategies based on short-term perspectives rather than long-term financial stability.

This study explored the characteristics of personnel in the early phase of the Farm Stay Secretariat, and investigated the actual situation during its establishment and the abilities demonstrated by its personnel at that time. The following seven abilities were identified as necessary: ① Leading stakeholders through goal setting, ② Building a collaborative system with related parties, ③ Developing sales skills to acquire users, ④ Acquiring farm stay operators ⑤ Gathering information, ⑥ Responding flexibly to business needs, and ⑦ Performing clerical tasks. The manner of application of these abilities was analyzed based on the talent portfolio. The results indicated that, during that period, it was necessary to have executive personnel who demonstrated abilities ① and ⑤ to guide the region toward a unified goal, as well as management personnel who exhibited abilities ③ to ⑦ to achieve the goal set by the executive personnel.

This study explored from the perspective of identification how young, newly employed farmers assigned meaning to their engagement in an organization and with agriculture, while being involved with organization members and others. An interview survey was administered to three young, newly employed farmers less than three years after their recruitment. The survey combined the Twenty Statements Test and Personal Attitude Construct analysis. Respondents exhibited positive organizational behavior based on their identification with senior colleagues, working groups, and the organization, while being exposed to job stresses as newcomers. Additionally, they displayed positive organizational behavior because of their identification with the profession of agriculture.

This study quantitatively examined consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) and psychological determinants for livestock products produced with environmental consideration. Estimation of the WTP for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction certification display based on the analysis of the result of choice modelling indicated it was 36 yen. Analysis of the result of structural equation modeling indicated the significance of popularization enlightenment, which promotes the attitude that purchase of environment-friendly livestock products mitigates environmental issues. Additionally, social popularization enlightenment, which enhances social norm consciousness by positively evaluating environment-conscious consumption behavior, was also considered useful.

The bioeconomy includes sectors that produce biological resources, such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, as well as sectors that utilize these resources, such as the production of food, textiles, wood, and paper. Japan’s bioeconomy strategy aims to promote economic growth by advancing bioeconomy-related businesses while addressing social challenges such as environmental issues, food security, and energy security. This study assessed the backward and forward linkage effects of the bioeconomy sectors to identify key sectors for bio-based economic growth. The findings indicate that: (1) bio-based sectors have stronger linkages with the macroeconomy compared to non-bio-based sectors, and (2) key sectors include wheat and the like, pulses, sugar crops, crops for beverages, feed and forage crops, dairy cattle farming, beef cattle, hogs, broiler chickens, inland water fishery, sugar, saccharified products, manufactured ice, organic fertilizers, knitted apparel, timber, wooden chips, wooden furniture, wooden fixtures, papers, and paper products.

Climate change and associated disasters hinder the procurement of fruit tree pollen. To date, domestically produced pollen has not been sold in Japan, which necessitates determining the price of pollen and establishing a distribution system. To contribute to the stable distribution of domestically produced fruit tree pollen, this study explored the actual status of pollen distribution, examined price-determining factors, and proposed a market distribution model. The results indicated that the price of imported pollen determines the price of domestically produced pollen. Additionally, pollen condition, germination rate, year of collection, and place of production could be price-determining factors. The findings suggest that in Japan, it is optimal to establish a distribution system based on the production area.

As corporation farms are more capable of achieving business expansion and management improvements than other farms, the Japanese government has developed systems to enable these entities acquire farmland rights. This study utilizes municipal panel data from the Census of Agriculture and Forestry to evaluate the impact of incorporation of farming entities on farmland rental. An empirical analysis is conducted using the fixed effect model and the instrumental variable method. The estimation results show that farmland rental is more advanced in municipalities with a higher proportion of incorporated management entities. This finding suggests that institutional reforms that support corporate management entities to acquire farmland rights facilitate farmland consolidation.