Many are missing the cultural aspect. This isn't all about the government protecting the price. There is a second order issue. If the price dropped, Japanese

Many are missing the cultural aspect. This isn't all about the government protecting the price. There is a second order issue. If the price dropped, Japanese farmers would react by reducing costs, by bringing in new tech and consolidating small farms into larger agri-businesses. Japan wants avoid the cultural changes that would bring to rural areas, areas that many believe to be the heart of Japanese culture.