Change of Agriculture in the Lower Reaches Area of the Kiso after the High Economic Growth

Abstract

Before the Second World War the land-hold farmers in the lower reaches area of the Kiso river took advantage of their favourable size of cultivated acreage, and until 1950's comparatively high percentage of the full-time farmers was engaged in cultivation of rice and wheat or rapeseed.Since the late 1950's, however, Japanese agriculture has been obliged to readjust itself to a new situation. The area of the present study is situated in the western outskirts of the great city of Nagoya, and it was already in a close relationship with Nagoya in the prewar times. This relationship was further strengthened during the period of high economic growth in Japan. So agriculture of the area was profoundly influenced in many aspects.Industrialization and urbanization took place most drastically around Nagoya in this period. Some of upper class farmers develop horticulture and contract cultivation of rice, and the rest of farmers are obliged to become part-time farmers, and every household suffers from the degradation of labour forces either in quantity or in quality. At present only in Kisozaki and a few other villages people try to concentrate their efforts to extremely intensive cultivation and succeed in maintaining higher percentage of full-time farmers than the national average.