Pork self-sufficiency ratio in Japan FY 2014-2023

In fiscal year 2023, the food self-sufficiency ratio of pork in Japan was estimated to reach 49 percent, implying that almost half of the pork meat consumed in the country were imported products. The weight-based food self-sufficiency ratio indicates the share of food consumed in Japan that is covered by the domestic production.

 Is Japan self-sufficient? 

In the past decade, the calorie-based self-sufficiency ratio in Japan dropped below 40 percent, indicating an increasing reliance on imports to cover over 60 percent of the domestic caloric intake of food. Despite governmental efforts to boost the domestic food supply, the archipelago was unable to recover from the setback.
This was in addition to barley, pulses and soybean production stagnating, recording the lowest weight-based self-sufficiency rate among agricultural commodities. Soybeans are a staple food in Japan, used in the production of a variety of products, such as soy sauce, tofu, and miso.

The shrinking population of farmers 

The decline in self-sufficiency in Japan is linked to an aging and shrinking population of farmers. Within a decade, the number of people working in farming was cut in half.
Since the domestic agriculture industry alone is unable to cover the domestic food demand, trade agreements with major trade partners are becoming essential, as the import value of agricultural commodities leaped above seven trillion Japanese yen in recent years.