Abstract
We investigate the weight-based food self-sufficiency ratio (WSSR) for Japan over a 50-year period (1961-2011) by applying factorial component analysis technique in order to measure the changes of the WSSR quantitatively. Quantitative data analysis is employed to determine the drivers of those changes. Numerical results show that Japan experienced a drastic decline in its food self-sufficiency ratio (FSSR) during the above period. The factorial component analysis shows that such a decline was caused by the changes in the FSSR of the food groups/items, not in the quantity of the food supply. A number of characteristics of those changes are presented and a list of major food groups that have major impacts on the changes is constructed. The findings in this paper reiterate the alarming food security problem in Japan and provide clear insight into the causes of this problem. The findings in this study pick up where previous studies have left off, aid the food-related policy-making process and identify new ideas for future food research.
Highlights
We investigate the weight-based food self-sufficiency ratio (WSSR) for Japan over a 50-year period (1961-2011) by applying factorial component analysis technique in order to measure the changes of the WSSR quantitatively
“an active and healthy life”, it is widely believed in Japan that the country has a problem that is theoretically faced only by the world’s poorer countries: food insecurity. This may sound ironic, even contradictory, some Japanese worry about an excessive nutritional intake of animal fats and unbalanced diet, many worry about Japan’s future food supply as its food self-sufficiency ratio (FSSR) has been declining over the past half century
The use of all 20 major food groups (MFG) allows for a consistent measure of the total food supply and utilization in the country
Summary
“Food security” is an important issue in Japan. This is partly due to the surge in world food and agricultural commodity prices in 2007, but it reflects the food supply insufficiency the country has experienced over the. Even though Japan is a prosperous nation, and Japanese have enough food to lead “an active and healthy life”, it is widely believed in Japan that the country has a problem that is theoretically faced only by the world’s poorer countries: food insecurity This may sound ironic, even contradictory, some Japanese worry about an excessive nutritional intake of animal fats and unbalanced diet, many worry about Japan’s future food supply as its food self-sufficiency ratio (FSSR) has been declining over the past half century. Oyama [7], Trung, et al [8], Hayami and Godo [9], Hayami [10], and in various reports issued by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF) (2000-2008) [11] These studies focus on the exogenous elements that are factors of the decline of Japan’s WSSR and economic implications both for supply and demand of food. Summary and conclusions are given in the final Section 5
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