[Public Lecture Series] Economics #22 Japanese Agriculture Part 2: Food Safety and the Revitalization of Agriculture - Aiming for Sustainable Agriculture
Hello everyone.
Last time, we looked at the history of Japanese agriculture and how it has changed amidst the waves of trade liberalization.
Today is the continuation of that and the conclusion of this unit. For those of you who saw the title and thought, 'Food safety and sustainability—I've been hearing those terms a lot lately,' you are correct!
However, this isn't just a health discussion about 'eating things that are good for your body.' In reality, it is a discussion about the practical economic mechanisms behind the 'safety of the dining table' we eat at every day and whether 'Japanese agriculture and the global environment' can survive for the next several decades.
1. Why study 'Food Safety and the Revitalization of Agriculture' now? (Introduction)
First, I have a question for you.
[Question 1] When choosing food at a supermarket or a bento shop, what do you look at besides the 'price'? 'Whether it says domestic,' 'expiration date,' 'the ingredient label on the back'... there are many things, right?
Some people might say, 'I don't care as long as it's cheap!' But what if the safety of that cheap food is questionable, or if continuing to produce it ruins the global environment to the point where we can't eat it in 10 years... that would be a problem, wouldn't it?
The biggest reason we are studying this theme is to move beyond being consumers who 'simply buy cheap and delicious things,' and instead understand the 'mechanisms that protect safety' and the 'economic systems that harmonize with the environment' behind our food, so that we can make choices as members of a sustainable society.
Even on the Common Test, systems related to food safety and new environmentally friendly agricultural mechanisms are areas that appear in graph and document-based questions!
2. The mechanisms and historical drama of protecting 'food safety'
First, let's talk about 'food safety.' The fact that we can normally assume 'it's safe to eat this meat or these vegetables' is actually thanks to various past troubles and the institutional reforms that overcame them.
① Incidents that shook food safety and the birth of systems
In the early 2000s, a major topic of discussion in Japan was the BSE(Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or 'mad cow disease') issue. It is a disease where the tissue of a cow's brain becomes sponge-like, and the risk of it infecting humans was pointed out, causing great social chaos.
Triggered by the spread of anxiety—'Is imported meat safe?' 'Is domestic beef safe?'—the government enacted the Food Safety Basic Act in 2003. It marked a major shift from the previous stance of 'dealing with things after an incident occurs' to a prevention-first mindset of 'scientifically evaluating and preventing risks in advance.'
② The 'resume' of beef: Traceability system
What spread rapidly as a BSE countermeasure was the traceability system.
[Question 2] Have you ever seen a 10-digit number (individual identification number) printed on a pack of beef sold at a supermarket?
If you search for that number on your smartphone, you can find the entire production and distribution history, including 'when and where the cow was born, who raised it, and where it was processed.' This is the traceability system.
Even if a problem occurs with food, we can instantly identify 'which route it was distributed through' and recall it, which has dramatically increased food safety. Today, it is used not only for meat but also in various fields such as rice and vegetables.
③ Scientific technology and food choices: Genetically modified organisms
Another essential aspect of modern food safety is genetically modified technology.
This is technology that manipulates genes to grow crops efficiently, such as corn that is resistant to pests or soybeans that are not affected by herbicides. While it is expected to be a technology that solves food shortages, there are various opinions and concerns among consumers.
In Japan, only foods that have passed strict safety inspections are distributed, and a labeling system for genetically modified foods is in place so that consumers can make informed choices. The point is how to balance technological progress with the assurance of options.
3. Japanese agriculture needs 'sustainability in a double sense'
Now, even if food safety is ensured, it would be pointless if 'Japanese agriculture itself' were to disappear.
Currently, Japanese agriculture is facing a serious problem of aging and decline. The average age of agricultural workers has reached nearly 70, and the aging population is severe, increasing the risk that 'there will be no one left to produce' due to a lack of young successors.
That is why the concept of sustainability in a double sense (sustainable agriculture) becomes important.
[Question 3] What do you think 'double sustainability' means we need to sustain?
The answer is two things: 'environmental sustainability' and 'economic (management) sustainability'!
Environmental sustainability: Continuing agriculture without destroying the soil, water, or the global environment.
Economic sustainability: Ensuring that farmers make a solid profit and that agriculture is established as a profession where young people think, 'I want to do this!'
Unless both of these are achieved, Japanese agriculture will not be able to survive into the future.
4. Protecting the Environment! The "Green Food System Strategy" and Smart Agriculture
First, regarding "environmental sustainability," the policy formulated by the government in 2021 is the Green Food System Strategy.
Modern agriculture until now has used large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to increase crop yields. However, excessive use of chemical fertilizers damages the soil and emits large amounts of greenhouse gases during the manufacturing and transportation processes.
Therefore, the Green Food System Strategy takes a long-term perspective and sets the following numerical targets with 2050 as the goal.
CO2 Reduction (Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors)
Chemical Fertilizer Reduction (30% reduction in chemical fertilizer usage, 50% reduction in chemical pesticides)
Expand the area of organic farming to 25% of the total (1 million hectares)
You might be thinking, "Wait, can crops grow with such reductions?" The key to this is technological innovation, or innovation!
What is particularly attracting attention now is "smart agriculture." By making full use of the latest technologies, such as GPS-equipped autonomous tractors, pinpoint pesticide application via drones, and AI-based diagnosis of optimal harvest times and greenhouse temperature control, we are attempting to achieve labor savings and a reduction in environmental impact simultaneously.
5. Energizing the Economy! Ideas for Agricultural Revitalization
Next, let's look at new on-site innovations to enhance "economic (management) sustainability!"
1. Toward Profitable Agriculture: The Sixth Sector (Sixth-Sector Industrialization)
Until now, farmers have focused only on "growing and shipping vegetables (primary industry)." In this structure, price-setting power lies with supermarkets and markets, which often makes it difficult to generate profits.
That is where the Sixth Sector comes in!
Primary Industry (Production of agricultural products)
Secondary Industry (Processing and food manufacturing)
Tertiary Industry (Distribution, sales, cafe operation, etc.)
By combining these (1 × 2 × 3 = 6), for example, "processing strawberries grown by ourselves (primary) into jam (secondary) and serving them at a directly managed cafe (tertiary)," this initiative increases added value and boosts farmers' income.
2. Supporting Locally: Local Production for Local Consumption and CSA
Movements to connect consumption and production within a region are also important.
Local production for local consumption means consuming agricultural products grown in a region within that same region. Because transportation distances are shortened, it leads to CO2 reduction (reduction of food miles) and allows for the acquisition of fresh, safe food. It is also being actively incorporated into school lunches.
Also, recently, new forms of supporting farmers within a community are spreading, such as CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), where local residents pay in advance to subscribe to produce from contracted farmers.
6. Summary of Today's Lecture
In the Common Test, questions regarding the Food Safety Basic Act, traceability systems, sixth-sector industrialization, local production for local consumption, and "sustainable agriculture that considers both the environment and the economy" may appear in document-based or text-selection questions. "Protecting food safety," "preserving agriculture for the future," and "balancing the environment and the economy"—these three are the keynotes of modern agriculture. Make sure to organize the mechanisms and objectives as a set!
Here are today's key points.
Food Safety: Following the BSE crisis, the Food Safety Basic Act was enacted, and traceability systems were introduced to track history via individual identification numbers. Ensuring consumer choice through labeling systems for products like genetically modified foods is also important.
Sustainability in a dual sense: To preserve agriculture for the future, sustainability in both the "environment" and the "economy" is necessary. As the aging and decline of farmers progress, structural reform for revitalization is an urgent task.
Environmental consideration: Under the Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems (MIDORI), the goal is to achieve innovation through means such as smart agriculture by 2050, aiming for CO2 reduction and chemical fertilizer reduction.
Management ingenuity: New forms of agriculture are spreading, such as sixth-sector industrialization, which involves not only production but also processing and sales; local production for local consumption, where goods are consumed within the region; and CSA, which is directly supported by consumers.
30-Second Column: Why is it '1×2×3' instead of '1+2+3'?
Sixth-sector industrialization There is a reason why the term is expressed as multiplication, '1×2×3', rather than '1+2+3'. It is because if the primary industry (agricultural production), which serves as the foundation, becomes 'zero,' then no matter how impressive the processing plant (secondary) or cafe (tertiary) you build, the total will become 'zero' (0 × 2 × 3 = 0). This multiplication carries a strong message: 'Everything is based on the site where life is nurtured.'
Next Episode Preview
Today concludes the unit on 'Small and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture'! Starting next time, we will enter the major social issues that occurred in the shadow of Japan's rapid economic growth: 'Economic Growth and Pollution: The Progress of Pollution Countermeasures'!
We will learn about the four major pollution diseases where many people suffered due to air and water pollution while Japan was becoming wealthy, and how companies and the government overcame them.
Before the next class, please give this some thought.
[Question for Next Time] If 'corporate profits and economic growth' and 'people's health and a beautiful environment' were to clash, which should society prioritize? And how much cost and time do you think it takes to restore an environment once it has been destroyed?
Let's continue to unravel the light and shadow of economic growth in an easy-to-understand way next time.
Well then, that's all for today's class! Thank you for your hard work.