Small Versus Large-Scale Agriculture

Abstract

The promulgation of the Japanese land reform program in 1948 established several important policy decisions which, according to different viewpoints, are hindering or aiding the growth of Japanese agriculture. One of these decisions is related to the size of farm operations. In its attempt to provide the landless peasant with a more tangible stake in his future, the government, in effect, leveled the size of farm plots down to an essential minimum size. According to this law, owners of land having more than a given number of acres were required to sell their "surplus" land, preferably to tenants who were actually operating the land. This acreage restriction varied according to region, but for the most of Japan, it was limited to about three acres per farm household. Among the reasons for establishing such a restriction on farm size was the belief that the Japanese method of cultivation, derived from a long tradition, was highly efficient and labor intensive. Many Japanese were rather proud of the comparatively high yields they achieved from a small, almost garden-sized plot. Indeed, their production ranks among the highest in the world when measured in terms of rice production.