Japanese agriculture

The process of successful industrialization of Japan after the Second World War has significantly affected Japanese agriculture. Rapid industrial growth is one of the reasons for Japan's agricultural problems. A major problem is the very high prices of agricultural commodities in comparison with international prices. These high prices are caused by Japan's agricultural protective policies and associated stagnation of agricultural total factor productivity in recent decades. Through international comparative economic analyses, this study tries to reveal to what extent recent Japanese agriculture has stagnated and to analyse the reasons why.

Although this book focuses on Japan's agriculture, it is a part of a broader research project entitled 'Comparison of agricultural growth and productivity in Asian and European countries since the late 19th century' carried out by the authors since 1985. To pursue the joint study, Van der Meer visited the University of Tokyo in March 1985, and from April to November in 1986; Yamada visited the University of Groningen in September and October 1985, and from September to December in 1988. Parts of our joint studies have already been published as Research Memoranda from the Institute of Economic Research, University of Groningen. This book draws from those earlier publications.

Many institutions and persons co-operated for the study. Without their co-operation this book could not have been published. The authors want to express their gratitude in particular to the

following institutions for receiving financial and material support: the Netherlands Ministry of Education, the Fund for Promotion of Scientific Research of the University of Tokyo, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Mishima Kaiun Memorial Foundation, and the Institute of Economic Research of the University of Groningen. The Japan Economic Foundation provided financial support for the joint research with Professor Fumio Egaitsu, University of Tokyo, entitled 'Comparison of agricultural production efficiency between Japan and EC countries'. In August 1988, Van der Meer moved his job from the Groningen

University to the National Council for Agricultural Research. In spite of that the Council generously permitted him to finish the joint study and the University provided rooms and research facilities until the end of 1988.

The Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), The Hague, provided data on the cost of production. The Instituut voor Mechanisatie, Arbeid en Gebouwen (IMAG) Institute for Mechanization, Labour and Building], Wageningen, provided information on prices for machinery and building. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Tokyo, provided valuable support in finding and interpreting basic data. A.D. Kuipers of the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS), The Hague, provided basic information on prices. Yueh-eh Chen, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taipei, provided basic data for Taiwanese agriculture.