| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1994: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
|
|---|
| Research Abstract |
The EU has a special regional policy for sustaining farmers in less favored areas since 1975. According to the LFA directive (75/268), the less-favored areas can be distinguished in three groups ; (a) Mountain and hill areas, (b) Other less favored areas with infertile factors, (c) Small areas affected by specific handicaps. The share of the LFAs in the total agricultural area was 55% in 1991. To realized the objectives of the LFA policy, the EU subsidizes farmers in different ways ; by grants for investments and by compensatory allowances. According to the seriousness of the natural handicaps, direct income supports are provided per animal or per hectare.
In Japanese equivalent of the European LFAs are the so-called "Chu-san-Kan-chiiki" or "Hilly Farming Areas" and "Mountainous Farming Areas". Japan has special regional policies for promoteing and revitalizing these areas. They are the Mountainous Village Development Act enforced in 1965, the Special Measures Law for Revitalization of Depopulated Areas revised in 1990 and the Law concerning the Promotion of the Improvement of Basic Conditions of Agriculture, Forestry and Other Businesses in Hilly and Mountainous Areas in 1993. One of main objectives of the polilcies is to conduct measures for hilly and mountainous areas. focusing on the promotion of industries, improvement of living conditions, and the maintenance and management of rural resources. So far Japanese LFA policies have no direct income support measures but rather industry promotion measures. Most of local governments, however, have introduced the decoupling measures to revitalize the depopulated and aged societies.
Not only agricultural interest groups but also consumer groups strongly express the necessity of introducing the direct income support measures to central government policy.
|
