The Japanese government has set a goal of increasing the area of organic farming to 25% of all farmland by 2050. To achieve this goal, the government implemented a policy called the Direct Payment for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture (DPEFA), which is a type of payment for environmental/ecological services. This study uses latest data and a spatial econometric model to examine the effect of the DPEFA on the expansion of organic farming in Japan. The analysis reveals spatial heterogeneity (dependency) in the distribution of participation in the DPEFA policy and the rate of organic farming across regions. After addressing this heterogeneity, we find that the policy impact is positive and significant. However, the magnitude of this impact is insufficient to achieve the government's 2050 goal. The result suggests that for the policy to be even more effective, its impact of the policy needs to be boosted by expanding the targeted technology options and restructuring the system to accommodate the differences in regional characteristics.

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Farm ponds, which have been used for irrigation for centuries in many areas of Japan, are one of the representative water environments in Satoyama. Compared with water bodies such as rivers and lakes, small water bodies such as ponds can support unique and sometimes rare biota. Conservation of this habitat is of great importance for conservation of regional biodiversity. However, irrigation use and pond management have declined over time with an aging farmer population and with changes to irrigation systems. Consequently, a pressing need exists to ensure ongoing pond maintenance and management. We investigate the effects of pond draining on biota at 26 ponds in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. The frequency of pond drainage is negatively related to numbers of species of fish and crustaceans, suggesting that cumulative effects of frequent pond draining prevents the community assembly. Bullfrog populations also tended to be smaller in more frequently drained ponds, suggesting that pond drying can control this exotic species.

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This study focuses on the spatial fluctuations of garden foliage in the wind. It differs from previous spatial analyses of static structures in traditional Japanese gardens. This study was conducted using 3D point cloud data and verified with a dynamic state detection method via analyzing the spatial distribution of fluctuating foliage at Tanpu-kei in Shosei-en Garden, Kyoto, Japan. 3D measurements were taken three times to detect the fluctuating point cloud (F-point cloud), continuously fixed point cloud (C-point cloud), and total point cloud (T-point cloud). The data was taken using standard parameters; the appropriate voxel size is 0.125 meters, and the right cubic unit size for the spatial analysis is 1 cubic meter. As a result of spatial analysis with this appropriate value, in the vertical distribution, the T-point cloud number decreased in the upper layers except for 1.5-2.5 meters, and the F-point cloud percentage increased. Locations with strongly fluctuating foliage were distributed along the garden path at 1.5-2.5 meters in the horizontal distribution. This study detected spatial fluctuation in the dynamic movement of garden foliage and established a method to capture the dynamics of fluctuation.

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A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of Web-based interventions using self-monitoring and other behavioral change techniques to promote physical activity among a wide range of people concerned about the lack of sufficient physical inactivity due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The interventions were conducted eight times from May 7 to July 2, 2021. In addition to self-monitoring—in which participants recorded the physical activity they undertook each week—and goal setting, in which they recorded a target time for increasing their physical activity the next week, information and examples were provided regarding easy physical activities. Furthermore, feedback on the previous week’s walking time was provided. The results revealed differences between groups (intervention/control groups) and time (pre-/post-intervention) for changes in total physical activity among all participants, especially older adults. A significant effect of time (pre-/post-intervention) was observed only in the intervention group. These results indicated that behavioral change techniques provided via the Web were effective in promoting total physical activity, especially among older adults.

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