TOKYO - NHK reports that in an effort to realize sustainable practices, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan has announced that, starting from April this year, it will promote practices that reduce environmental impact by including the minimal use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers as a requirement for receiving certain subsidies to farmers.
The government has set goals for sustainable, environmentally-friendly agriculture to be achieved by 2050, aiming to reduce pesticide use by 50% and chemical fertilizer use by 30%. To meet these targets, the Ministry will require farmers to demonstrate their efforts to reduce environmental impact as a condition for receiving some subsidies from April onward.
Specifically, farmers applying for subsidies will need to fill out a checklist indicating whether they are using fertilizers and pesticides beyond what is necessary, and whether they have reduced the use of fossil fuels that lead to carbon dioxide emissions. This checklist must then be submitted to the government. From the fiscal year 2027, the Ministry is considering expanding these practices to all subsidies and verifying whether the actions recorded on the checklist are actually being implemented.
Additionally, starting this April, the Ministry plans to appoint officials in local agricultural administration offices across the country to promote environmentally considerate agriculture. Through this series of policies, the Ministry aims to reduce the environmental burden caused by agriculture.
