Today's Close-Up

Japanese Agriculture Endangered: Going Organic to Protect Farms (2023x20)

Air date: Sep 22, 2023

"We don't want our son to suffer like us," one Japanese farmer said, with tears in her eyes. The price of chemical fertilizer has increased by 1.7 times in just three years, with the country now relying on imports for almost all the ingredients. Fuel and livestock feed prices are also shooting up, putting more Japanese farmers in difficult situations. According to a survey, nearly half of Japanese agricultural corporations are now in the red. Against this backdrop, organic farming is gaining renewed attention. We take a look at efforts to save Japanese farming and help ensure the country's food security. Guests: Suzuki Nobuhiro (Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) Sekine Kae (Professor, Aichi Gakuin University)