Editing Economy of Japan (section)

===Agriculture===
{{Main|Agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan}}
[[File:TawaramotoRiceField.png|thumb|Rice is a very important crop in Japan as shown here in a [[rice paddy]] in [[Tawaramoto, Nara]].]]
The Japanese agricultural sector accounts for about 1.1% (2017) of the total country's GDP.<ref name="Japan Country Report" /> Only 12% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation.<ref name="As Farmers Age, Japan Rethinks Relationship with Food, Fields">{{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/social_issues/jan-june12/9billion_06-12.html |title=As Farmers Age, Japan Rethinks Relationship with Food, Fields |work=[[PBS]] |date=12 June 2012 |access-date=21 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131121103417/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/social_issues/jan-june12/9billion_06-12.html |archive-date=21 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="Trip Report - Japan Agricultural Situation">{{cite web |url= http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2012/08/Japantrip/ |title=Trip Report – Japan Agricultural Situation |work=[[United States Department of Agriculture]] |date=17 August 2012 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=6 May 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160506220310/http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2012/08/Japantrip/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Due to this lack of arable land, a system of terraces is used to farm in small areas.<ref name="Urbanites Help Sustain Japan's Historic Rice Paddy Terraces">{{cite web |author1=Nagata, Akira |author2=Chen, Bixia |url= http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/the-people-who-sustain-japans-historic-terraced-rice-fields |title=Urbanites Help Sustain Japan's Historic Rice Paddy Terraces |work=Our World |date=22 May 2012 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=24 September 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160924164244/http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/the-people-who-sustain-japans-historic-terraced-rice-fields |url-status=live}}</ref> This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with an overall agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 50% on fewer than 56,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (14 million acres) cultivated.

Japan's small agricultural sector, however, is also highly subsidised and protected, with government regulations that favour small-scale cultivation instead of large-scale agriculture as practiced in North America.<ref name="As Farmers Age, Japan Rethinks Relationship with Food, Fields" /> There has been a growing concern about farming as the current farmers are aging with a difficult time finding successors.<ref name="How will Japan's farms survive?">{{cite web |url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/06/28/editorials/how-will-japans-farms-survive/ |title=How will Japan's farms survive? |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=28 June 2013 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161104234240/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/06/28/editorials/how-will-japans-farms-survive/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Rice accounts for almost all of Japan's cereal production.<ref name="Japan - Agriculture">{{cite encyclopedia |url= http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Japan-AGRICULTURE.html#b |title=Japan – Agriculture |encyclopedia=Nations Encyclopedia |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=3 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160703043518/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Japan-AGRICULTURE.html#b |url-status=live}}</ref> Japan is the second-largest agricultural product importer in the world.<ref name="Japan - Agriculture" /> Rice, the most protected crop, is subject to tariffs of 777.7%.<ref name="Trip Report - Japan Agricultural Situation" /><ref name="With fewer, bigger plots and fewer part-time farmers, agriculture could compete">{{cite news |url= https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21576154-fewer-bigger-plots-and-fewer-part-time-farmers-agriculture-could-compete-field-work |title=With fewer, bigger plots and fewer part-time farmers, agriculture could compete |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=13 April 2013 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=20 November 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131120232831/http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21576154-fewer-bigger-plots-and-fewer-part-time-farmers-agriculture-could-compete-field-work |url-status=live}}</ref>

Although Japan is usually self-sufficient in rice (except for its use in making rice crackers and processed foods) and wheat, the country must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops and relies on imports for half of its supply of meat.<ref name="Japan Immigration Work Permits and Visas">{{cite web |url= http://www.skillclear.co.uk/japan/default.asp |title=Japan Immigration Work Permits and Visas |work=Skill Clear |access-date=1 December 2013 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203135640/http://www.skillclear.co.uk/japan/default.asp |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Japan needs imports to keep itself fed">{{cite web |author=Nagata, Kazuaki |url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/02/26/reference/japan-needs-imports-to-keep-itself-fed/#.UprvUb-lf-k |title=Japan needs imports to keep itself fed |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=26 February 2008 |access-date=1 December 2013 |archive-date=11 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161111091247/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/02/26/reference/japan-needs-imports-to-keep-itself-fed/#.UprvUb-lf-k |url-status=live}}</ref> Japan imports large quantities of wheat and [[soybean]]s.<ref name="Japan - Agriculture" /> Japan is the 5th largest market for the European Union's agricultural exports.<ref name="Agricultural trade in 2012: EU">{{cite web |url= http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/trade-analysis/map/2013-1_en.pdf |title=Agricultural trade in 2012: A good story to tell in a difficult year? |work=[[European Union]] |date=January 2013 |page=14 |access-date=1 December 2013 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304235748/http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/trade-analysis/map/2013-1_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=January 2022}} Over 90% of [[mandarin orange]]s in Japan are grown in Japan.<ref name="Japan needs imports to keep itself fed" /> [[Apple]]s are also grown due to restrictions on apple imports.<ref name="Japan may warm to U.S. apples">{{cite web |author=Wheat, Dan |url= http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20131014/ARTICLE/131019963 |title=Japan may warm to U.S. apples |work=Capital Press |date=14 October 2013 |access-date=1 December 2013 |archive-date=11 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161111061126/http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20131014/ARTICLE/131019963 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Fishery ====
{{Main|Fishing industry in Japan}}
[[File:Global fish catch 2004 & 2005.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Global fish catch in Japan]]
Japan ranked fourth in the world in 1996 in [[fishing industry by country|tonnage of fish caught]].<ref name="World review of fisheries and aquaculture">{{cite web |url= http://www.fao.org/docrep/w9900e/w9900e02.htm |title=World review of fisheries and aquaculture |work=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=12 March 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150312075816/http://www.fao.org/docrep/w9900e/w9900e02.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Japan captured 4,074,580 metric tons of fish in 2005, down from 4,987,703 tons in 2000, 9,558,615 tons in 1990, 9,864,422 tons in 1980, 8,520,397 tons in 1970, 5,583,796 tons in 1960 and 2,881,855 tons in 1950.<ref name="Fish capture by country">{{cite news |author=Brown, Felicity |url= https://www.theguardian.com/environment/datablog/2009/sep/02/fish-capture-country |title=Fish capture by country |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2 September 2003 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=18 January 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170118075757/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/datablog/2009/sep/02/fish-capture-country |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2003, the total aquaculture production was predicted at 1,301,437 tonnes.<ref name="Japan National Aquaculture Sector Overview">{{cite web |url= http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_japan/en |title=Japan |work=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170121134330/http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_japan/en |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2010, Japan's total fisheries production was 4,762,469 fish.<ref name="World fisheries production, by capture and aquaculture, by country (2010)">{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/STAT/summary/a-0a.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170525161431/ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/STAT/summary/a-0a.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 May 2017 |title=World fisheries production, by capture and aquaculture, by country (2010) |work=Food and Agriculture Organization |access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref> Offshore fisheries accounted for an average of 50% of the nation's total fish catches in the late 1980s although they experienced repeated ups and downs during that period.

Coastal fishing by small boats, set nets, or breeding techniques accounts for about one third of the industry's total production, while offshore fishing by medium-sized boats makes up for more than half the total production. Deep-sea fishing from larger vessels makes up the rest. Among the many species of seafood caught are sardines, [[skipjack tuna]], crab, shrimp, salmon, [[pollock]], squid, clams, [[mackerel]], [[sea bream]], [[sauries]], tuna and [[Japanese amberjack]]. Freshwater fishing, including salmon, trout and eel hatcheries and fish farms,<ref name="FRESHWATER FISH CULTURE IN JAPAN">{{cite web |author=Willoughby, Harvey |url= http://www.lib.noaa.gov/retiredsites/japan/aquaculture/proceedings/report1/willoughby2.html |title=Freshwater Fish Culture in Japan |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=20 June 2013 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140202185911/http://www.lib.noaa.gov/retiredsites/japan/aquaculture/proceedings/report1/willoughby2.html |url-status=live}}</ref> takes up about 30% of Japan's fishing industry. Among the nearly 300 fish species in the rivers of Japan are native varieties of catfish, chub, herring and goby, as well as such freshwater crustaceans as crabs and crayfish.<ref name="List of Freshwater Fishes for Japan">{{cite news |last=Butler |first=Rhett Ayers |url= http://fish.mongabay.com/data/Japan.htm |title=List of Freshwater Fishes for Japan |work=[[Mongabay]] |date=8 August 2007 |access-date=20 June 2013 |archive-date=30 May 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130530055343/http://fish.mongabay.com/data/Japan.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Marine and freshwater aquaculture is conducted in all 47 prefectures in Japan.<ref name="Japan National Aquaculture Sector Overview" />

Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/ |title=The World Factbook |work=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |access-date=1 February 2014 |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210105105736/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/ |url-status=live}}</ref> prompting some claims that Japan's fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as [[tuna]].<ref name="UN tribunal halts Japanese tuna over-fishing">{{cite web |url= http://www.atimes.com/oceania/AH31Ah01.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000929115651/http://www.atimes.com/oceania/AH31Ah01.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=29 September 2000 |title=UN tribunal halts Japanese tuna over-fishing |work=[[Asia Times]] |date=31 August 1999 |access-date=1 February 2014}}</ref> Japan has also sparked controversy by supporting quasi-commercial [[whaling in Japan|whaling]].<ref name="Japanese whaling 'science' rapped">{{cite news |author=Black, Richard |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4118990.stm |title=Japanese whaling 'science' rapped |work=[[BBC News]] |date=22 June 2005 |access-date=1 February 2014 |archive-date=3 February 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140203094756/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4118990.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>