Japan food self-sufficiency ratio falls to 37%, below 2030 goal of 45%

TOKYO, Aug 7 : Japan's food self-sufficiency ratio fell to 37 per cent for the fiscal year ended March 31, down 1 per centage point from a year earlier and well below the government's 45 per cent target for fiscal 2030, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.The ratio, among the lowest of developed economies, underscores Japan's vulnerability to food supply disruptions amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East conflict.The calorie-based ratio, which measures the share of food consumed that is produced domestically, slipped as rice consumption declined and private-sector stockpiles increased, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.The ratio has remained below 40 per cent for more than a decade despite government