This paper reports on the trends in livestock digital transformation （DX） technologies in Japan. Livestock DX technologies encompass a wide range of applications, including environmental control in smart barns, automation of tasks such as milking and feeding using robots, and farm management support systems that predict estrus and calving times and manage herds using sensors. Furthermore, the adoption of DX technologies to support remote veterinary care for livestock and the development and implementation of DX technologies to support livestock-collateralized asset-based lending （ABL） by financial institutions have commenced. Additionally, livestock DX technologies contribute to addressing specific challenges in the livestock sector, such as animal welfare and environmental impact reduction. In the future, the development of data-driven livestock DX technologies utilizing software such as data science and artificial intelligence （AI） is anticipated.

Japan relies on imports from abroad for most of the materials needed for agricultural and livestock production, such as fertilizer and feed. Agricultural and livestock industries in Japan were built on the assumption that fertilizer materials and feeds would always be available for import, but since 2020, fertilizer materials prices have risen sharply due to changes in the international and the situation in resource-holding countries. Whereas during the phosphorus crisis in 2008, only phosphorus prices rose sharply, this time all fertilizer material prices rose sharply, which is fundamental. On the feed side, livestock industry in Japan still relies on foreign sources for about 80% of its concentrate feeds.

Livestock waste contains components that can be used as fertilizer. With 80 million tonnes of livestock waste per year, we can be considered to have ample fertilizer resources. This also comes from foreign feeds.

Some livestock farmers are working with arable farmers to use livestock manure for feed crop production to achieve regional recycling. These examples suggest that recycling resources within the region is necessary for the sustainability of agriculture and livestock production. Although it is impossible to produce all of our countryʼs foods and feeds domestically, the continued promotion of regional resource recycling is considered important for food security.

To build sustainable food systems, it is essential to raise awareness among various stakeholders in food systems, including consumers, by communicating producers’efforts to reduce environmental burden in an easy-to-understand manner.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan （MAFF） developed a simple calculation tool, for 23 products （e.g. rice, vegetables, fruits）, for calculating greenhouse gas （GHG） emissions from production using farming data. Then, MAFF developed guidelines and formally launched “Visualization” labelling scheme in March 2024. The iconic label of the scheme is designed to clearly indicate the degree of producers’ environmental burden reduction efforts, presenting one to three stars on it, according to calculation tool results. For rice, biodiversity conservation efforts can also be indicated. For GHG calculation, in addition to current 23 products, developing the tool also for livestock products is being considered.

For food systems as a whole, according to discussions in a public-private conference, guidelines for food-related entities calculating their carbon footprint of products （CFP） and a relevant guidance were published. Currently, a pilot project has been conducted to test the two documents and to locate where to improve in order for them to be practical guides for various entities including Small and Medium-sized Entities.