China ranks No. 1 in the world in terms of rice production. The total rice planted area in 1988 was 31. 98 million hectares and accounted for 22％ in the world. The amount of rice production in the husk was 170 million tons, and accounted for 43％ of total grain product in the world.
　Rice is a main crop in China, and progress in rice production influences not only agriculture but also the economy of China. In the past ten or so years, rice production in China rapidly increased. This was caused by introduction of the Responsibility System, application of total technology to rice product, and rise of production per hectare from 1976 by increasing the hybrid rice planted ratio―from 2％ in 1976 to 40％ in 1988.
　With the improvement in the living standard of the nation, rice is consumed in all regions. It is considered that the quantity of consumption will also increase in future. Therefore, the government plan to expand the rice planted area from 1990 aims to increase it to 33 million hectares, and to produce more than 200 million tons, in the year 2000.
　Now, to improve the problem of small farm size, which was brought about by the Responsibility System, there is an experiment to contract group farming, by leasing the farmland.
　This paper discusses in detail many data concerning the tendency of rice production in recent years in China, the "big three" revolution in rice, and also addresses rice production and consumption in the future.

　This paper attempts to briefly observe and analyze the past and the present situation of the rice economy of South Korea and give future perspectives.
　1) Historically, the rice cuItivated in South Korea has been exclusively the Japonica type.
　2) During the period of 1915-1933 under Japanese colonial rule, rice production increased about 27％, while the per capita rice consumption decreased about 37％. This was brought about by the semi-feudal tenant system, which had an extremely high rate of rent reaching more than 50％ of the gross harvest.
　3) In 1949, after World War II, South Korea launched the Land Reform. It contributed very much to the boost of rice production in the 1970s and 1980s.
　4) Up until the 1960s, South Korea imported a large quantity of food grain from the United States under the PL480 programs and this brought about a stagnation of the increase of rice production.
　5) During the period of 1960-1973, the total production of rice stagnated at the level of 4 million M/T on a hulled rice basis, except for 1969. After 1975, however, new varieties of rice were extensively introduced, and the total production was raised to the level of 6 million M/T. In 1962 the yield per 10 a was only 266 kg, but it was raised to 494 kg in 1977, and in the 1980s it maintained the range of 410-440 kg. The proportion between the new varieties and the conventional ones once reached a peak of 76 : 24 in 1978, but it had reversed to 18 : 82 in 1988.
　6) The per capita consumption of rice was more than 130 kg in the 1970s and in 1980, but it has been gradually and consistently decreasing in recent years, down to nearly 120 kg.
　7) In spite of the government's consistent effort to enlarge farm size, the average paddy size still remains at the level of 0. 74 ha in 1988. In recent years, however, policy efforts are being pursued to enlarge the farm size by integrating farmland by allowing the lease of them as well as by supporting young successors to enable them to buy more land.
　8) As the rural exodus is rapidly proceeding, farm mechanization is gradually increasing. However, productivity of the rice production in Korea is not foreseen to be raised to an internationally competitive level in the near future.
　9) Since rice has been the most important staple food, the production of rice should be preserved for a considerable length of time, especially for maintaining national security in the midst of the vulnerabilities and uncertainties of the international rice markets.

　There are four basic points in dispute on rice in modern Japan : 1) the issue concerning structural over-supply of rice ; 2) the issue of reforming the Food Control System that affects distribution and price formation of rice ; 3) the issue on structural reform of rice paddy farms ; 4) international relations centering around rice, especially the issue about opening the market for foreign rice.
　The main points of the report are as follows.
　Domestic rice consumption is decreasing year by year. The annual consumption of rice per capita was 135.0 kg in 1934-1938 (average), 118.3 kg in 1962, 71.0 kg in 1988 ; the long-term prospect of the demand per capita is estimated to be 59-62 kg in the year 2000. Over-supply of rice became a subject of agricultural policy, so enforcement of rice production adjustment and conversion to other crops have been in effect since 1969.
　As a rule, rice is supposed to be under government control for demand-supply, production, and distribution in accordance with the plan. But actually, divergence of rice distribution is already seen : 1) government-controlled distribution ; 2) authorized private distribution ; and 3) free (unauthorized) distribution. Reform in the future will put an emphasis on "setting places" of price formation and some concrete plan is being examined.
　The majority of producers still have small-size farms at present. Enlarging the farm size, raising the productivity, and reducing the cost are main subjects for agricuItural administration.
　U. S. Rice Millers' Association appealed to the USTR concerning the U. S. Trade Act Article 301 twice, in September 1986 and 1988, but both appeals were rejected. Moving the stage of negotiation to GATT and the Uruguay Round, the case is being discussed. The Japanese proposal to the Agricultural negotiation group was as follows : "With regard to the basic food staple, some boundary adjustment measures to maintain necessary domestic production should be allowed in spite of GATT Article 11." The same proposal was made from the Republic of Korea.