Import value of agricultural products to Japan 2014-2023

In 2023, around nine trillion Japanese yen worth of agricultural commodities were imported to Japan. This indicated an increase compared to about 6.3 trillion yen in 2014. Agricultural imports made up the majority of primary sector imports to Japan. Since Japan's self-sufficiency ratio remains low, the country depends on agricultural imports to feed the nation.

 Obstacles for farming in Japan

Even though only about 20 percent of the island nation is suitable for cultivation, Japanese farmland is intensively farmed, with rice paddies and fields occupying most of the countryside. Crop production generates the highest output in the agricultural farming industry, while livestock farming only plays a minor role.
Japan's geography further complicates farming as the land regularly suffers from damages by natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

 The situation of sustainable farming in Japan

Sustainable farming still plays a minor role in the Japanese agricultural sector. In recent years, however, both the area of certified organic farmland as well as the production volume of certified organic produce has been increasing. Vegetables by far made up most certified organic produce. The growing demand indicates an increasing awareness of healthy and sustainably produced food among the Japanese population.