The system of agricultural cooperatives, collectively referred to as JA, is one of the most politically powerful organizations in Japanese politics. Based on its strong ties with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has been in government for almost the entire postwar period, JA has...

Until 2009, Japan’s attitude towards domestic agricultural policy reforms had been one of compliance with the guidelines provided by the WTO, which requests that member countries reduce their aggregate measures of support by trimming trade-distorting (amber box) support and/or transforming...

Until 2009, Japan’s attitude towards domestic agricultural policy reforms had been one of compliance with the guidelines provided by the WTO, which requests that member countries reduce their aggregate measures of support by trimming trade-distorting (amber box) support and/or transforming...

Policies to tax farmers in low-income countries and policies to subsidize them in high-income countries have been identified as a major source of the disequilibrium of world agriculture. Recently, as many high-performing economies in Asia advanced from the low-income to the middle-income stage...