An objection to Mr.Sugita Nobuho
I think that changing the consciousness of Japanese citizens is not a way to solve this problem. Certainly, if Japanese citizens can seriously tackle this problem, the food self-sufficiency rate may increase a little. However, I think that nothing will change unless it is decided concretely what to do. I think that there are tips to solve this problem in the UK. Currently, UK food self-sufficiency rate is about 70%. However, the UK food self-sufficiency rate just before the First World War was only about 40%. This is almost the same as the current food self-sufficiency rate in Japan is about 40%.
A major factor that increased the UK food self-sufficiency rate is "direct payment". "Direct payment" is a system in which the government pays subsidies directly to farmers. We assure the farmers' income by fiscal burden and are trying to stabilize management. UK has made the food self-sufficiency improvement a national strategy with the food shortage of World War II as a trigger. From this time the UK government began to subsidize each farmer for increased food production. With this national strategy, the UK food self-sufficiency rate exceeded 70% in the early 1980s.
Currently, the UK uses "550 billion yen" for direct payment annually. Subsidies are paid to small and medium-sized farmers as well as large farmers.
Even big British farmers seem to have difficulty maintaining management without "direct payment". The current agricultural protection policy in Japan is "consumer-burden type". This keeps the price of agricultural products high by customs duty. Consumers are responsible for that amount to support the farmers' income.
Rice is a staple food of Japanese people. Japan's food self-sufficiency rate is declining overall. However, the food self-sufficiency rate of rice is 97%, which is very high. Rice supports Japan agriculture because it is the mainstay of agricultural management. In order to maintain the production of rice, I think that the system of "direct payment" in the UK should be done in Japan. The price of rice in 2006 is 10,426 yen at 60 kg. It is said that the farmer's hourly wage obtained at this rice price is 256 yen. This price is well below the national average of the minimum wage of 683 yen. In addition, the price of rice has fallen year after year. First of all, I think that introducing a system of "direct payment" in Japan and buying it at the price of 17,000 yen per 60 kg will lead to stabilization of rice prices. I think that Japan's food self-sufficiency rate will improve greatly by applying this system to all foods in the future.
A major factor that increased the UK food self-sufficiency rate is "direct payment". "Direct payment" is a system in which the government pays subsidies directly to farmers. We assure the farmers' income by fiscal burden and are trying to stabilize management. UK has made the food self-sufficiency improvement a national strategy with the food shortage of World War II as a trigger. From this time the UK government began to subsidize each farmer for increased food production. With this national strategy, the UK food self-sufficiency rate exceeded 70% in the early 1980s.
Currently, the UK uses "550 billion yen" for direct payment annually. Subsidies are paid to small and medium-sized farmers as well as large farmers.
Even big British farmers seem to have difficulty maintaining management without "direct payment". The current agricultural protection policy in Japan is "consumer-burden type". This keeps the price of agricultural products high by customs duty. Consumers are responsible for that amount to support the farmers' income.
Rice is a staple food of Japanese people. Japan's food self-sufficiency rate is declining overall. However, the food self-sufficiency rate of rice is 97%, which is very high. Rice supports Japan agriculture because it is the mainstay of agricultural management. In order to maintain the production of rice, I think that the system of "direct payment" in the UK should be done in Japan. The price of rice in 2006 is 10,426 yen at 60 kg. It is said that the farmer's hourly wage obtained at this rice price is 256 yen. This price is well below the national average of the minimum wage of 683 yen. In addition, the price of rice has fallen year after year. First of all, I think that introducing a system of "direct payment" in Japan and buying it at the price of 17,000 yen per 60 kg will lead to stabilization of rice prices. I think that Japan's food self-sufficiency rate will improve greatly by applying this system to all foods in the future.