6 ms·

Life on an island...

ajross 9y ago
Life on an island with a historically strict protectionist food policy. There is no potato shortage, per se (per the article, I'm surely no expert). There's a shortage of potatoes from Hokkaido, and domestic consumers aren't prepared for (or allowed to) buy them from an international market. Japan isn't the only nation to do this, of course. But they're one of the worst.
- jbm 9y ago
  Agreed; you can also see the recent butter shortages in Japan for an example of the same issue. As for why that happens; the farmers are (were?) a huge political ally for the LDP. (The TPP was going to be a huge change for that, but alas, it won't be happening..)
  - jbm 9y ago
    I was wrong about the TPP being completely dead. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/16/national/tokyo-signals-u-turn-tpp-moves-activate-trade-pact-sans-u-s/#.WPNtOWfae00 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/16/national/tokyo-s...
- mistersquid 9y ago
  I buy imported-from-Japan Kataage [0] potato chips at my local Nijiya market and to my taste these chips are much higher quality than, for example, Kettle brand and Frito-Lay brand potato chips. Not sure if it's due to the potatoes, but the quality is undeniably (to my taste) higher. [0] https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=japan+Kataage+potato+chip&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=japan+K...
  - pm90 9y ago
    I suspect that Frito Lay would possibly be capable of using higher quality ingredients/making better quality chips if the market demanded it. Perhaps you are in the minority of people who cares enough to notice the difference?
- coldtea 9y ago
  >Life on an island with a historically strict protectionist food policy. There is no potato shortage, per se (per the article, I'm surely no expert). There's a shortage of potatoes from Hokkaido, and domestic consumers aren't prepared for (or allowed to) buy them from an international market. Yeah, if only they gave up their autonomy and local agriculture to have more access to chips from abroad.
  - TulliusCicero 9y ago
    It's not just chips. Japan's generally protectionist/sheltering attitude towards businesses makes their whole economy structurally inefficient. Japan's nominal GDP per capita is like 40% lower than the US these days.
    - fulafel 9y ago
      There is more to life than GDP per capita.
      - TulliusCicero 9y ago
        Yes, but economic productivity is still pretty important.
  - iopq 9y ago
    Why is local agriculture more important than local customers?
    - Larrikin 9y ago
      The idea from what I gather is that the country is capable of supporting itself, and did for centuries, and shouldn't let industries wither and die for short term profit that would kill off industries that allow that ability of self support.
    - coldtea 9y ago
      Because being self-sufficient and having a good import/exports sheets makes you more resilient in the mid- and long-run that having all the chips that local customers demand. You can always allow for more chips whenever you really want. Reversing a damaged trade deficit or self-sustainability? Not so much, and not anywhere near as fast.
- emodendroket 9y ago
  I don't see it as totally outlandish to protect domestic industry at the cost of not being able to get produce as cheaply or easily as you could otherwise. It's not as though Japan is suffering from starvation.
  - hkmurakami 9y ago
    There are government subsidies being given to every farmer, iirc no matter how small or inefficient your operation. Given that the country is heavily in debt, it's pretty fiscally irresponsible to continue with such a handout.
    - emodendroket 9y ago
      I'm not sure how much we can trust your vague, half-remembered understanding of Japanese farming subsidies, but it's not clear to me that the right move for a country that's been in a long slump is to start making moves that will destroy domestic industries.
      - hkmurakami 9y ago
        Overhauling exsiting regulation that promotes small scale family farming to one that promotes larger scale, modernized farming methods with improved outputs would strengthen and bolster the domestic ag economy vs its international counterparts, not weaken them. The current handout to family farmers (many of whom produce paltry crops and own tiny parcels) and their collective lobbying efforts to continue the country's protectionist farming policies is a handout to these rent seekers and stifles the actual long term agricultural output of the country.
    - tw04 9y ago
      vs. what? Having no domestic production? And what happens if China decides to start WWIII and they face a prolonged siege with no domestic food production capabilities? Or should they leave the feeding of their entire population up to the whims of the US government? I think the last election should make obvious the folly in that line of reasoning.
interfixus 9y ago
Life on an island whose population has proven itself exceptionally, uniquely, mindblowingly capable of running af civilized society and carving out their own distinct and highly successful niche in the world, or rather on top of it. They will emerge alive from this potato calamity, trust me.

Life on an island with a historically strict protectionist food policy. There is no potato shortage, per se (per the article, I'm surely no expert). There's a shortage of potatoes from Hokkaido, and domestic consumers aren't prepared for (or allowed to) buy them from an international market. Japan isn't the only nation to do this, of course. But they're one of the worst.

jbm 9y ago
Agreed; you can also see the recent butter shortages in Japan for an example of the same issue. As for why that happens; the farmers are (were?) a huge political ally for the LDP. (The TPP was going to be a huge change for that, but alas, it won't be happening..)
- jbm 9y ago
  I was wrong about the TPP being completely dead. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/16/national/tokyo-signals-u-turn-tpp-moves-activate-trade-pact-sans-u-s/#.WPNtOWfae00 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/16/national/tokyo-s...
mistersquid 9y ago
I buy imported-from-Japan Kataage [0] potato chips at my local Nijiya market and to my taste these chips are much higher quality than, for example, Kettle brand and Frito-Lay brand potato chips. Not sure if it's due to the potatoes, but the quality is undeniably (to my taste) higher. [0] https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=japan+Kataage+potato+chip&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=japan+K...
- pm90 9y ago
  I suspect that Frito Lay would possibly be capable of using higher quality ingredients/making better quality chips if the market demanded it. Perhaps you are in the minority of people who cares enough to notice the difference?
coldtea 9y ago
>Life on an island with a historically strict protectionist food policy. There is no potato shortage, per se (per the article, I'm surely no expert). There's a shortage of potatoes from Hokkaido, and domestic consumers aren't prepared for (or allowed to) buy them from an international market. Yeah, if only they gave up their autonomy and local agriculture to have more access to chips from abroad.
- TulliusCicero 9y ago
  It's not just chips. Japan's generally protectionist/sheltering attitude towards businesses makes their whole economy structurally inefficient. Japan's nominal GDP per capita is like 40% lower than the US these days.
  - fulafel 9y ago
    There is more to life than GDP per capita.
    - TulliusCicero 9y ago
      Yes, but economic productivity is still pretty important.
- iopq 9y ago
  Why is local agriculture more important than local customers?
  - Larrikin 9y ago
    The idea from what I gather is that the country is capable of supporting itself, and did for centuries, and shouldn't let industries wither and die for short term profit that would kill off industries that allow that ability of self support.
  - coldtea 9y ago
    Because being self-sufficient and having a good import/exports sheets makes you more resilient in the mid- and long-run that having all the chips that local customers demand. You can always allow for more chips whenever you really want. Reversing a damaged trade deficit or self-sustainability? Not so much, and not anywhere near as fast.
emodendroket 9y ago
I don't see it as totally outlandish to protect domestic industry at the cost of not being able to get produce as cheaply or easily as you could otherwise. It's not as though Japan is suffering from starvation.
- hkmurakami 9y ago
  There are government subsidies being given to every farmer, iirc no matter how small or inefficient your operation. Given that the country is heavily in debt, it's pretty fiscally irresponsible to continue with such a handout.
  - emodendroket 9y ago
    I'm not sure how much we can trust your vague, half-remembered understanding of Japanese farming subsidies, but it's not clear to me that the right move for a country that's been in a long slump is to start making moves that will destroy domestic industries.
    - hkmurakami 9y ago
      Overhauling exsiting regulation that promotes small scale family farming to one that promotes larger scale, modernized farming methods with improved outputs would strengthen and bolster the domestic ag economy vs its international counterparts, not weaken them. The current handout to family farmers (many of whom produce paltry crops and own tiny parcels) and their collective lobbying efforts to continue the country's protectionist farming policies is a handout to these rent seekers and stifles the actual long term agricultural output of the country.
  - tw04 9y ago
    vs. what? Having no domestic production? And what happens if China decides to start WWIII and they face a prolonged siege with no domestic food production capabilities? Or should they leave the feeding of their entire population up to the whims of the US government? I think the last election should make obvious the folly in that line of reasoning.

interfixus 9y ago

Life on an island whose population has proven itself exceptionally, uniquely, mindblowingly capable of running af civilized society and carving out their own distinct and highly successful niche in the world, or rather on top of it. They will emerge alive from this potato calamity, trust me.