Citrus unshiu farming has been assumed to be hard to develop on large-scale farms because of its labor intensive technical character, which makes mid-sized farms is superior to large farms. However large-size citrus farms are developing in Mikkabi, Shizuoka Prefecture, where improvement of production infrastructure is most advanced and market competitiveness in citrus unshiu has been strong. Therefore the technical systems in Mikkabi which have supported development of large-scale citrus unshiu farming were analyzed by a farm survey. Though mid-sized farms, which are within the existing appropriate farm size, are superior to large farms in land productivity, large farms, which for the most part exceed the existing appropriate size, are superior to mid-sized farms in labor productivity. The large farms have achieved high productivity by the introduction of technology which makes best use of improved production infrastructure such as mechanization and mulching cultivation, adoption of quality improvement technology such as mulching cultivation, and input of a large amount of hired labor.

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In the early 1970s, the midpoint of this academic society's history, the "excessive employment" in Japanese agriculture was one of the most important research subjects. Recent studies of Southeast Asian agriculture, which followed the empirical methods of investigation of the Japanese case, revealed the existence of contrasting mechanisms of wage determination. In Java, wage is determined as the average labor productivity by the work-sharing principle. Contrastively in Central Thailand, wage is determined as the marginal productivity by bilateral contracts in the market principle. In the light of the contemporary trend toward economic globalization, our next task of investigation should be why and how these contrasting systems and diversity of agrarian structure come about and coexist in the world.

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Grade is one of the key aspects of crop quality. In this article, I summarize basic issues and review some findings from empirical and theoretical research on grading. To begin with, I discuss how to measure quality by comparing three indices: individual attributes, grade, and price. Then I explain why grade is necessary. The underlying rationale is found in market failure caused by information asymmetry. Next, taking the impact of global warming on rice as an example, I demonstrate the importance of grade in farm economy. Empirical evidence indicates that higher temperature decreases farm revenue by deteriorating quality rather than quantity. Finally, I turn to the policy question of how to improve grade. Specifically, I focus on quality payment, which sets different subsidy rates by grades. Theoretical analysis shows that, under plausible assumptions, quality payment improves both grade and yield in a more cost effective manner than other types of payments such as quantity payments, area payments or decoupled payments.

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To make an approach to this report theme, the imported food focused on is imported beef from Australia and America. Quality is defined as attributes for which the direction of good evaluation by all buyers is identical, and safety is included in quality. To resolve this issue, practices of improving beef quality and safety in the imported beef food system, from cattle production to its import are surveyed, with an explication of vertical relations among players and market structure for each stage in the food system. Finally, choices concerning imported beef quality and safety level are considered, analyzing some performances and their factors for improving imported beef quality and safety.

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In Japan, it is widely believed that domestic agricultural products have higher quality because they have a higher level of safety, both objectively and subjectively, than imported products. However, no research examines whether safety attributes can establish the facts regarding the quality of domestic products. Thus, this article assesses the relationship between quality competitiveness and safety in a bilateral trade framework under the WTO/SPS agreement. The result of theoretical analysis indicates that when an importing country changes its safety regulations based on scientific evidence, it is necessary to ensure the same level of subjective safety between imported and domestic products in order to maximize its economic welfare. In fact, the tendency of differences in subjective safety levels among countries to decrease can be confirmed by experiences accumulated in U.S.-Japan bilateral issues raised over beef BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). This implies that safety attributes will not be critical factors in the maintenance of quality competitiveness in Japan's agriculture in the future.

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The purpose of this paper is to clarify factors that have an influence on the competitiveness in the selling of rice. Therefore I looked back on the history of rice distribution from the viewpoint of quality. As a result, I made clear that a wide variety of “quality" is necessary at the actual demand stage; however, consciousness of the grading based on the area of production and the kind of rice remains on not only the production side but also that of the consumers even now, and this is because it was carried out under the former food control system. In addition, I pointed out that an improvement in the essential quality of rice is demanded under the assumption international competition, but the weakening of farming manpower is a serious problem.

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This paper analyzed firstly the positive meanings of imperfect competition, diversification of quality concept and role of various actors, and secondly the complicated procurement activities by Japanese food-related firms. Though quality control systems for vegetables have been strengthened after pesticide problems happened in China, they still remain partial. It is a crucial task for food-related firms to establish a supply chain based on trust. Long delivery time and large lot size are inevitable for imported products. As far as Japanese food-related firms express an orientation for postponement procurement, Japanese agricultural products can gain the competitive advantage of physical distribution quality. On the other hand, as there is a case that imported agricultural products are positioned as a means of differentiation strategies, any quality advantage depends on each food-related firm's strategy.

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The evolution of trade rules on agricultural products has three aspects: firstly, from intervening to market mechanism to ʻmarket-orientedʼ; secondly, from that mainly of "mass-production and mass-consumption" products to that of "small-scale production and small-scale consumption" products; and thirdly, elaborated in a more and more detailed manner in function of the purposes and characteristics of the measures in question. Due attention should be paid to the WTO's trade issues resolving functions and rules elaboration functions as well as regional trade agreements' tendency to ‘supplement' the WTO rules as well as to realize the difficult of achieving each country's interests in the WTO. Japan has to have a clear self-recognition of the ʻqualityʼ merits of its products and make the best use of the trade rules.

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As for the financial status of this society, the situation of chronic deficit of accounts in a single year is becoming common. On the other hand, relative abundance exists for Special Accounts. In response to such a situation, we have maintained the rule about the expenditure including Special Accounts. We maintain an income and expenditure balance of a single year for the time being, and it will be necessary to save a balance carried forward even to some extent in future. Therefore, to keep community finances in an appropriate state, prompt fee delivery is carried out, and the further consciousness raising and cooperation of the members are indispensable.

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This paper is to summarize problems related to publishing electronic journals of our society and being subsidized by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Our society has already decided on a plan for archiving our earlier journals. Currently some journals are going through the process of being included on the website of J-Stage (Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic). It is also necessary to propagate the academic research achievements of our society internationally. However, these goals can only be attained at a high cost. At present, we are facing the difficult situation of seeking subsidy from JSPS, in contrast to the grants we long enjoyed in the past. So, our efforts for internationalization and drastic enhancement of the journals is required.

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Currently, the only medium in which research results can be posted in this society is paper; there are three issues annually. However, the number of posts from members is concentrated overwhelmingly in the Special Issue, leading to a shrinking circulation in both English and Japanese. The impact of this situation on, say, inability to acquire research grant, makes the very survival of the Society uncertain; major changes are needed. As a workaround, the Journal should be utilized as a place to announce research for members and employ a unified application of peer review for it. In this paper, I will raise points about future reforms.

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The main symposiums of the AESJ annual meetings have had a tendency toward two biases: first, temporary issues of agricultural and rural policies have been eagerly discussed; second, the senior members aged in their 50s have been dominating the roles of presenters and discussants at these symposiums. These two biases have weakened the strong point of the AESJ, its characteristic of respecting the evidence from a large number of empirical analyses. As a result, low submission rates to Nogyo Keizai Kenkyu (JRE) and JJRE have not improved yet, and the interest of young members in the symposium has continued to decline. This article points out that the biases have split the current AESJ members into three groups, “policy talk lovers," “obligation performers," and “research lovers," then, the AESJ has got trapped in a fallacy of composition. To resolve the biases, the AESJ planning committee asked young researchers including a government official to make presentations with the support of middle and senior discussants in the two business years of 2012 and 2013.

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Agricultural Economics Society of Japan was established in 1924. Since then, this society has treated the subject of research problems in all areas of agriculture and rural areas. Expanding the research areas, we established research groups for the study of associated fields to engage in a specialized study of specific topics. These groups have developed into academic societies in their own right. In this paper, first of all, we analyze the positioning of the Agricultural Economics Society of Japan. Therefore, we take up several associated academic societies and we consider the interaction of members of these societies and members of the Agricultural Economics Society of Japan. Second, we examine issues and the current status of activities concerning the council of academic societies related to agricultural economics. Finally, we analyze the expansion and interdisciplinary research of agricultural economics.

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This paper analyzes the characteristics and problems of KAEA (Korean Agricultural Economics Association) with a focus on the current status of the organization, its management and academic activity based on the literature, and also presents future issues. KAEA has the longest history and largest membership among related associations. Along with the structural transformation in domestic and foreign agriculture, this standing requires KAEA to reform its function: More specifically, firstly, to improve its leadership in research on Korean agricultural economics with strong responsibility and spirit. Secondly, to construct an independent financial administration system. Thirdly, to broaden the research subjects and diversity methods in its journal. Fourthly, to activate discussion sessions and to provide solutions for academic debates on issues of agricultural policy, agricultural development and rural problems. Finally, to strengthen its function in international communication and cooperation.

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It is enormously difficult for us to publish articles in international journals, all of which require English. Yet, without publishing English articles in international journals, our research contributions will never be recognized by the world. In order to be successful, we have to be highly ambitious, to read incredibly large amounts of English literature so as to understand nuanced expressions, perhaps to sacrifice education in order to focus on research while young, and to actively participate in international conferences and workshops, which are nothing but battlefields for us. Despite all our efforts, however, shrewd referees may find limitations and slight drawbacks in our articles, and recommend their rejection to the editors. In order to overcome such difficulties, this article attempts to give advice on the publication of English articles in journals based on the author's own experience.

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