"This book explores the origins of Japan's protectionist agricultural policies through an in-depth historical analysis of Japanese agricultural policies between the Meiji period and the end of WWII. It offers a constructivist account for the rise of protectionism, examining the policies of prewar agricultural bureaucrats who played critical roles in the policymaking process. It argues that protectionist agricultural policy in Japan was not originally generated by the 'iron triangle' (the Liberal Democratic Party, the Agricultural Ministry and farmers' organizations) but by a prewar agricultural bureaucrats' policy idea called shōnō ron (thoughts on small-scale farming). Ultimately the book reveals how, contrary to suggestions of previous scholarship, the protective measures based on shōnō ron forged the necessary conditions for the emergence of 'iron triangle' after the end of WWII, which in turn institutionalized Japan's subsequent protectionist agricultural regime. Examining such topics as the origin of protectionist policy, the formation of actors' preferences, and the broader effects of agricultural policy ideas this book will be valuable reading for scholars and students of Japanese politics, agricultural policy, and political economy"--

This book explores the origins of Japan’s protectionist agricultural policies through an in-depth historical analysis of Japanese agricultural policies between the Meiji period and the end of WWII. It offers a constructivist account for the rise of protectionism, examining the policies of prewar agricultural bureaucrats who played critical roles in the policymaking process. It argues that protectionist agricultural policy in Japan was not originally generated by the "iron triangle" (a political alliance consisted of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Agricultural Ministry, and farmers’ organizations) but by a prewar agricultural bureaucrats’ policy idea called shōnō ron (thoughts on small-scale farming). Ultimately the book reveals how, contrary to suggestions of previous scholarship, the protective measures based on shōnō ron forged the necessary conditions for the emergence of "iron triangle" after the end of WWII, which in turn institutionalized Japan’s subsequent protectionist agricultural regime. Examining such topics as the origin of protectionist policy, the formation of actors’ preferences, and the broader effects of agricultural policy ideas, this book will be a valuable reading for scholars and students of Japanese politics, agricultural policy, and political economy.

A major paradox in the political economy of Japan is why an enduring majority of citizens, as voters, consumers, and taxpayers, has explicitly supported or implicitly consented to a policy regime of agricultural protection that reduces material welfare and limits consumer choice. This book goes beyond standard political economy approaches that focus on self-interest pursuit by policy actors to contend that ideational factors are an important explanatory variable shaping the policy preferences of individuals towards agriculture and agricultural policy in Japan. The book traces the historical origins of ideas about agriculture, particularly those associated with the nōhonshugi tradition, and offers an original taxonomy classifying the development of agrarian thought from the Tokugawa era until the 1930s. It then analyses postwar media portrayals of agriculture in public policy debates around the 1961 and 1999 agricultural ‘basic laws’, charting the evolution of both economic and non-economic ideas in those periods. Finally, it investigates the predominant ideas held about agriculture by individuals today, as evidenced through public opinion survey data, and demonstrates that concerns about health and food safety, food self-sufficiency, and the environment strongly outweigh economic welfare considerations. The study concludes by examining developments in agricultural policy under the Abe administration in the context of these predominant ideas, and considers how those ideas could be operationalised in agricultural policy responses to major crises including the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.

This paper has been undertaken as a survey of the agricultural trade policies of one of the world's major importers of agricultural commodities. Drawing on material from a variety of English language sources this study weaves together the interrelationships between the domestic agricultural policies and the trade regime for foodstuffs in Japan. The evolution of the sector in the last two decades under the umbrella of these policies is outlined. Quantitative estimates of the economic costs of these policies are reviewed. The lessons of the Japanese experience are found to be especially important in cautioning the LDCs of the dangers of sheltering the agricultural sector from the economically efficient adjustment processes which both accompany and support a sustainable development process.