Rice and Agricultural Policies in Japan: The Loss of a Traditional Lifestyle

188 Pages·2019·2.4 MB·English

by  Nicole L. Freiner

Rice and
Agricultural
Policies
in Japan
The Loss of a
Traditional Lifestyle
Nicole L. Freiner
Rice and Agricultural Policies in Japan
Nicole L. Freiner
Rice and Agricultural
Policies in Japan
The Loss of a Traditional Lifestyle
Nicole L. Freiner
Bryant University
Smithfield, RI, USA
ISBN 978-3-319-91429-9 ISBN 978-3-319-91430-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91430-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018942215
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For the Morita Family, Shin Machi, Fukumitsu/Nanto, Toyama, Japan
Where “ただい”ま is always given a happy “おかえりなさい”
Thank you for the years of generosity, good cheer
and understanding warmth
A
cknowledgements
This work developed out of a set of interviews completed back in 2013
with a Summer Stipend Award from Bryant University that provided me
with the means to visit areas of Japan affected by the Fukushima Daiichi
catastrophe and to meet with writers, mothers groups and non-gov-
ernmental organizations doing work to bring attention to the many
problems confronting people dealing with the aftermath of the crises.
Through meetings and conversations that took place over a Summer
Institute supported by the NEH at the East West Center in Honolulu,
Hawaii on Buddhism, I was able to formulate a developing interest in
the politics of food in general and rice in particular which brought me
back to some of the concerns that were a part of my upbringing as some-
one who grew up on a dairy and crop farm in upstate, New York.
Several more Summer Research stipends provided by Bryant
University allowed me to continue this work which had many contribu-
tions along the way from Japanese hosts who have always been beyond
generous in giving of their time to answer my questions and help me to
begin to understand a topic that has many complex and moving parts.
In particular, Steve Leeper, allowed me to stay at his farm where I
was able to complete nearly 10 interviews over a weeks time and these
early interviews were an important frame also informing my work on the
Trans-Pacific Partnership. Mr. Mizukami and Mr. Saito in the village of
Joge each spent a lot of time talking with me and explaining how gov-
ernment policies affected them. In Tokyo, the staff the the Citizens
Union of Japan (Nishoren in Japanese) were very helpful as was its
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viii ACkNoWLEDGEMENTS
Director Martin Frid who helped me to understand the politics of genet-
ically modified foods and the perspectives of concerned citizens.
In Toyama prefecture, the local Nanto branch of JA (Japan
Agriculture) met with me and also allowed me to tour the local country
elevator which was a fantastic informative experience in getting at local
level concerns, alllowing me to contextualize farmer’s interactions with
JA Zenchu and JA Zen-Noh. Sachiyo Abe arranged a number of meet-
ings for me with local farmers and also assisted me in early translation
and understanding some of the basic issues of local agriculture in the
Fukushima/Nanto area.
I was also provided information by a number of people both at the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF) as well as
JA-Zenchu, which helped me in answering important questions that
came up in the early stages of my writing. Aurelia George-Mulgan, the
person who knows the most about this topic because of the depth of her
own research graciously answered my emails and helped me to develop
my own perspective and confidence on the subject. Her work is in a cat-
egory of its own making on the topic of agricultural politics and Japan, it
has paved the way for future generations of scholars.
At Bryant University I would like to acknowledge the support and
assistance of my Department Chair, Professor John Dietrich who has
advocated on my behalf, allowing me much needed travel assistance for
my many trips to conduct research in Japan.
I would also like to acknowledge my wonderful parents, Jim and
Dianne Freiner who share my work with enthusiasm and joy. Though
you may never read it in its entirety, you have had a hand in creating
each page of this work.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the loving support and generosity
of my husband, Matthew Griffin who helped me to create my own spe-
cial writing spot where mysterious gifts of chocolate and hot tea arrive at
the most needed times.
c
ontents
1 Japanese Rice: History and Cultural Performance 1
2 The Political Landscape: Recent Agricultural Policies
and Rice Growers 21
3 Global Orders of Trade: Pacific Partnerships
and International Agreements 51
4 Japan Agriculture (JA): The Role of the Agricultural
Cooperative 81
5 Citizen Consumers: Cultural Protection and Japan’s
Food Movement 107
6 Food Sovereignty, Safety and Security: The Role
of Rice in Japan and Asia 133
Conclusions and Future Recommendations: The Loss
of Japan’s Rice Growing Culture 157
Appendix: Outline of Introduction, General Provisions,
New Basic Law on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas,
Law No. 127 161
ix
x CoNTENTS
Bibliography 163
Index 175
l f
ist of igures
Fig. 6.1 Irrigation system, Toyama prefecture (Photo by author) 139
Fig. 6.2 Irrigation Canal, Toyama prefecture (Photo by author) 140
Photo 4.1 Country elevator, side view, Fukumitsu/Nanto, Toyama
prefecture (Photo by author) 102
Photo 4.2 Country elevator storage, Fukumitsu/Nanto, Toyama
prefecture (Photo by author) 103
Chart 4.1 Japan’s rice distribution system 99
Chart 5.1 Pathway for Type 1 GMo approval, MAFF 121
Chart 6.1 Rice consumption in Asia 150
Chart 6.2 Import quantity of rice (1000 tons) 151
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