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Can someone explain to me why Japan has an agriculture industry to begin with (though I assume the answer is WW2)? They have an incredibly high population densi

by cyphar 10y ago

Can someone explain to me why Japan has an agriculture industry to begin with (though I assume the answer is WW2)? They have an incredibly high population density and are an incredibly small country -- why on earth would you want to waste land on farming? And more importantly, why would you be protectionist about that industry when it will be responsible for land shortages? Import economies are not a bad thing. In fact they are the reason the export economies can work at all.

hokkos 10y ago
Why wouldn't you have an agriculture industry ? This is the most vital industry, moreover on a island, when you are next to China, and that country want to assert dominance on the seas. Imagine how would survive the country if China start a blockade without a minimal agriculture at subsistence level.
- cyphar 10y ago
  Then trade with countries other than China (there are plenty of other countries in and near Asia -- such as Australia which has a very large agricultural industry due to having so much land)? Don't get me wrong, there are certain parts of agriculture (fishing for example) that make sense for a country like Japan, but considering how much land is required to grow crops sustainably it doesn't make sense (at least to me) to make your agriculture industry an important part of your protectionist rhetoric.
  - Arizhel 10y ago
    The OP specifically cited a Chinese blockade in his post. How are those other countries going to get your food to you when China is actively blocking them? They'll have to start a shooting war, and in the meantime your people are suddenly starving to death.
nihonde 10y ago
Have you been to Japan? Land shortage isn't a major issue outside Tokyo. In fact, large areas of Japan are primarily farmland. The cities also have amazingly high population densities, and it is common to find vegetable patches and fruit growing right in the cities.

by cyphar 10y ago

hokkos 10y ago

Why wouldn't you have an agriculture industry ? This is the most vital industry, moreover on a island, when you are next to China, and that country want to assert dominance on the seas. Imagine how would survive the country if China start a blockade without a minimal agriculture at subsistence level.

cyphar 10y ago
Then trade with countries other than China (there are plenty of other countries in and near Asia -- such as Australia which has a very large agricultural industry due to having so much land)? Don't get me wrong, there are certain parts of agriculture (fishing for example) that make sense for a country like Japan, but considering how much land is required to grow crops sustainably it doesn't make sense (at least to me) to make your agriculture industry an important part of your protectionist rhetoric.
- Arizhel 10y ago
  The OP specifically cited a Chinese blockade in his post. How are those other countries going to get your food to you when China is actively blocking them? They'll have to start a shooting war, and in the meantime your people are suddenly starving to death.

nihonde 10y ago

Have you been to Japan? Land shortage isn't a major issue outside Tokyo. In fact, large areas of Japan are primarily farmland. The cities also have amazingly high population densities, and it is common to find vegetable patches and fruit growing right in the cities.