Japan's NBSAP
JapanFood System Overview
In 2023, agriculture, forestry, and fishing accounted for just 0.9% of the Japanese GDP.[i] Japan’s food self-sufficiency ratio on a calorie supply basis is around 38%. Japanese agriculture consists mostly of paddy fields and is characterized by small-scale operations. Over 98% of agribusiness in Japan is considered family businesses. Farmland accounts for approximately 12% of the national territory.[ii] Japan is highly efficient in terms of crop production per hectare but produces high amounts of GHG emissions per hectare (mostly from use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, rice cultivation, and livestock farming). Chemical inputs tend to be overused.[iii]
NBSAP Development
The NBSAP of Japan 2023-2030 was developed in line with the requirements of the KMGBF. The NBSAP, however, does not specify the process through which it was developed.
Food System Measures
Japan’s NBSAP contains several measures relevant to food systems. These measures include implementing nature-positive production practices such as soil conservation, reducing use of chemical and synthetic fertilizers and pesticides on the agricultural lands and promotes sustainable fishing and aquaculture. The NBSAP also targets reducing food loss and waste through improved processing techniques and food waste recycling for compost, feed, or fuel while promoting local and traditional dietary patterns and use of certification systems to support preferential procurement from producers who are committed to biodiversity conservation.
NBSAP Implementation
Implementation of the NBSAP will follow a science-based, precautionary, and adaptive approach. Biodiversity-related measures will be formulated and implemented based on scientific evidence and local and traditional knowledge. Measures will be added, changed, or discontinued based on newly accumulated scientific evidence and evaluation of monitoring results. NBSAP implementation will also follow a cross-sectoral and cross-generational approach, bringing together the national government, local authorities, agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries, businesses, private organizations, experts, educational and research institutions, and local communities. The NBSAP emphasizes collaboration with local communities to make use traditional knowledge and promote ownership and concrete implementation of biodiversity measures at the local level.
Sources
[i] World Bank Group. (2024). Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP). Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?most_recent_year_desc=false&view=chart.
[ii] Fuhrmann-Aoyagi, M. B., Miura, K., & Watanabe, K. (2024). Sustainability in Japan’s Agriculture: An Analysis of Current Approaches. Sustainability, 16(2), 596.
[iii] Fuhrmann-Aoyagi, M. B. et al. (2024).