Decrease in number of farmers marks record-high

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Decrease in number of farmers marks record-high

The rate of decline in the number of farmers is the highest since 1985, an agriculture ministry survey showed.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries on September 7 released the Results of the Census of Agriculture and Forestry 2010 which has been conducted once every five years since 1950.

According to the survey results, as of February 1, the number of farmers is 2.6 million, down by 22.4 percent from the previous survey in 2005. The average age of farmers increased to 65.8 from 63.2 years old. The total area of abandoned cultivated land reached 400,000 hectares, up by 2.6 percent. The number of farm households who annually earn 500,000 yen or over from the sale of agricultural products dropped by 16.9 percent to 1.63 million.

Stating, "The Census results once again proves that the state of Japan's agriculture is in a serious situation," Vice Chair of the National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nominren) Mashima Yoshitaka pointed out that like successive governments mainly led by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Japan-led government also plans to promote the further liberalization of agricultural imports which will deal a death blow to Japan's agriculture.

Mashima went on to say, "Due to climate change and the increase in global population, the recurrence of food crises is a matter of concern to the entire world. Under this situation, the revitalization and development of Japanese agriculture should be an urgent task for the government. Acknowledging that agriculture should be regarded as the nation's key industry, the government should guarantee fair trade prices of agricultural produce so that famers can survive as farmers."

The Japanese Communist Party calls on the government to give farmers financial assistance to cover agricultural production costs, seek a trade rule guaranteeing each nation its food sovereignty, take measures to help farmers find and train their successors, and increase the agricultural budget.

- Akahata, September 8, 2010