Japan Adopts Bill to Revise Basic Agriculture Law

Jiji Press

12:13 JST, February 27, 2024

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government adopted a bill Tuesday to revise the basic law on food, agriculture and rural areas as part of efforts to strengthen food security, which has been shaken by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The move will mark the first full-scale revision to the basic law that governs agriculture policy, since its enactment in 1999. The bill also seeks to reduce the environmental impact of food supply systems amid global warming.

The government also adopted bills to allow it to instruct private farmers to boost production or promote product conversion when serious food shortages are expected and to introduce stricter procedures for farmland conversion and strengthen finances at agricultural corporations.

Agriculture minister Tetsushi Sakamoto told a press conference that the government is committed to delivering food to the people in a stable way.