The Internal and External Factors Caused to the Vulnerability of the Domestic Food Demand in Japan: Impacts and Countermeasures on Market Liberalization

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06255
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41010:Agricultural and food economics-related
• Research Institution: Takasaki University of Health and Welfare (2020-2021); Kobe University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: KUSAKARI HITOSHI 高崎健康福祉大学, 農学部, 教授 (40312863)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 国産農産物需要 / 脆弱性 / 食料自給率 / 市場開放 / 食生活の外部化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The decreasing food self-sufficiency, caused by the increasing market opening for imported goods, is a major concern for the prospect of Japan's agricultural market. More importantly, even if the current border measures are maintained, the future food demand structure in Japan will gradually shift to the import-oriented structure due to further acceleration of the domestic outsourcing of meals. This study analyzed the current situation and proposed appropriate countermeasures to improve the vulnerability of the domestic food demand under the liberalized market economy.

Free Research Field

農学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本における食料自給率低下の主要因は、農産物の市場開放に対する国境措置のあり方だけでなく、日本人の食生活が外部化して、結果的に輸入品志向へ傾斜する方向に構造が変化していることも大きな要因であると考えられる。しかしながら、従来は前者が強調される一方で、後者は看過されてきた。国内の食料需要の現状を解明することで、国産食料需要の脆弱性を克服するために効率的な政策や対策を検討した点に、本研究成果の学術的意義や社会的意義がある。