Japan's food self-sufficiency rate hits record low of 37 percent

Japan's calorie-based food self-sufficiency fell to 37 percent in the fiscal year that ended in March, the lowest level since data began in 1965.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan's food self-sufficiency based on calories fell to 37 percent in the fiscal year that ended in March, equalling the lowest level recorded since comparable statistics began in 1965. This marks the first decline after four consecutive years at 38 percent and comes as rising rice prices curbed domestic consumption, increasing reliance on imports. Rice's self-sufficiency dropped two points to 95 percent, the lowest in 16 years, while wheat and meat remained steady at 16 percent and 53 percent respectively; seafood rose to 53 percent and vegetables fell to 77 percent.

On a production-value basis, the overall rate rose two points to 66 percent, driven by higher prices for domestically produced items such as rice and chicken eggs. Prefectural data showed Hokkaido leading with 227 percent, followed by Akita and Yamagata, while Tokyo and Osaka recorded near-zero rates.