Mitsubishi to Start Forum to Revive Japan’s Agriculture

Tokyo, March 4 (Jiji Press)–Major trading company Mitsubishi Corp. will launch a forum to discuss ways to revitalize Japan’s dwindling agriculture, inviting central and local governments, agricultural cooperatives, academics and companies for talks, company officials said Tuesday.

Behind the latest initiative is concern about Japan’s falling food self-sufficiency rate. In fiscal 2006, the rate stood at 39 pct in terms of calories consumed, the lowest among developed countries.

Mitsubishi is hoping to eventually develop the forum into a think tank-like organization to formulate strategies for the future of Japan’s agriculture, taking advantage of knowledge and experience beyond the public-private, business and academic boundaries, the officials said.

The forum is expected to examine the current situation of Japan’s agriculture from various standpoints, including local revitalization and environment conservation.

It is also expected to look into such revitalization steps as promoting exports of Japanese agricultural produce, given the recent popularity of relatively expensive Japanese fruit among China’s growing middle class.

Mitsubishi will extend the existing in-house study group, called the Agricultural Innovation Office, to create the forum, the officials said.

The study group was established last October, bringing together employees from the company’s food, chemicals and machinery divisions.END

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