Japan’s ruling party was subjected to fierce pressure from its opponents regarding the possible import of America’s rice. Now as part of that tariff deal, that’s the import they’re considering. These are important developments that could have huge implications for the future of domestic agriculture, as well as our international agricultural trade relations.
Japan imports approximately 770,000 tonnes of rice annually. Most of this rice is under a duty-free “minimum access” agreement. This deal allows Japan to import more rice at reduced tariff rates. Domestic producers worry that increased foreign rice would otherwise flood local markets and drive down prices.
Even more so than rice imports, this economic debate intersects with a deeper concern about national identity. Rice has deep cultural roots in Japan, where rice growing is said to have been the basis of their culture for millennia. The photographs of each local farmer reveal a deep connection between the Japanese people and their rice paddies. One remarkable image, taken May 9, 2009, embodies this long-standing connection. This beautiful image from the Financial Times website shows this rice farmer working the fields. It tells their story and paints a very clear picture of the battle that local Agusitas fight every day against foreign competition. The original image is 2048×1152 pixels but has been cropped for web usage down to 780 pixels wide.
Further negotiations with the US are still taking place. Japan’s government will need to carefully tread the landscape of complex trade agreements while taking their constituents’ voices into account. They hear from their farmer constituents, many of whom are terrified that increased imports could push prices down and put them out of business. Additionally, they claim that defending domestic production of rice is a national security issue in support of our country’s food security and important to defend cultural heritage.
The ruling party’s reluctance to accept US rice imports shows the push-pull between economic necessity and agricultural habit. With changes to global trade dynamics at hand, Japan will need to navigate these competing priorities carefully. The country’s growing dependency on imported rice serves to illustrate its heightened exposure to risk in today’s more connected global environment.