A Brief Analysis Of Japan's Agricultural Modernization (1955-1973)

The modernization of the Japanese agriculture began from "Meiji Restoration", but it was completed between 1955 and 1973, during the rapid economic development with many reasons. However, why was it completed in such short time? The thesis illustrates its essence in the following three parts. Experience that Japanese completed the agricultural modernization in more than ten years has practical significance to the agricultural modernization in China.The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part mainly illustrates the background and reasons that Japanese completed the agricultural modernization in the period of the rapid economic growth.Japanese agricultural modernization began from Meiji Restoration. Although Meiji Restoration included the revolution of the farmer's lands, it didn't solve the land problems and the rebuilt land system was in fact the feudal parasitic landlord land ownership. It blocked the farmer's enthusiasm in the production and the course of Japanese agriculture development. The revolution of the farmer's lands in Japan began in the background. The success of the revolution of the farmer's lands after the war established the self-farming farmer's system, thus created advantaged conditions for the restore and development of the Japanese agriculture and agricultural capitalism development. It is the important premise in the agricultural Japanese modernization.The rapid economic growth from 1955 to 1973 made the Japanese agriculture produce the important changes. The first, national consumption level and diet structure produced the changes, so caused the change of productive structure of agriculture; the second, the population in the country went away from the agriculture and farmers engaged in the labor of industry increased fast. In the period of the rapid economic growth, the rapid industrial development led to a great deal of demand of the labor population, however, the high wages in the industry strongly attracted the farmers; the third, Investment's increase—because of the development of industry and the enlarge of trade export, Japanese government's financial revenue was constantly increased, the government provided a great deal of fund to the agriculture and it is possible that the government reduced the farmer' taxes. At the same time, the farmer's high revenue promoted investment's increase; the big capital invested and joined the agriculture.In the period of the agricultural modernization in Japan, the role of the government couldn't be ignored. Although Japan was basically a free competition system that markets were the basic adjustment, the government always interfered indirectly with the economic method in the course of the economic development. The Japanese government's function in the economic development embodied not only in the industry development, but also in the problems of the agricultural development. It outstandingly embodied in basic agriculture policy and comprehensive agricultural policy from 1955-1965.The second part mainly introduced the modernization's accomplishment of agriculture in Japan during the rapid economic development.The accomplishment of agricultural modernization in Japan reflected in the two aspects: on the one hand, the modernization of the productive technologies of agriculture; on the other hand, the modernization of the organizational management of agriculture. The former included mechanization of agriculture, the land reform, extensive use of chemical fertilizers and other farm chemicals in the agriculture, living management technologies; the later included the common in the course of the circulation of agriculture and the integration of agriculture, industry and commerce and so on.The agricultural mechanization was the important symbol of the modernization of agriculture. In the period of the rapid economic growth in Japan, the improvement of industry technologies, the increase in the agricultural investment and the decrease of labor population promoted the development of the agricultural modernization. The mechanization of agriculture in Japan has three features: most of the medium and small-scale mechanization; paying high attention to the mechanization of rice production; stages of mechanization.The beginning symbol of the land reform in Japan after war was to promulgate Land Improvement Act in 1949, it was perfected during 50s and 60s. The land reform in Japan mainly reformed the water fields, irrigation and drainage to improve the yield per unit area. It basically removed the threaten of drought or disaster of excessive rain in Japan, the output of grain crops such as the Japanese rice was rapidly improved.In the period of the rapid economic growth in Japan, heavy chemical industry developed fast, it was the important premise for the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and other farm chemicals in the agriculture. It had two displays: the first, chemical fertilizer varieties increased, the applying fertilizer method improved; the second, pesticide improved constantly.Living management technologies were the most mature in the rice production. According to the different climate and soil conditions in different areas, cultivate the different varieties. In the livestock technologies, recommend the foreign fine breeds, replace the original old breeds, not only recommended, but also improved. In the fruit trees and cultivation techniques, living management technologies increased the output.The Japanese agriculture was typically the model of small farmer system, because of the restrictive running ability, it is difficult to fit the needs in the markets. The unique National Agricultural Cooperative Federation System was formed in order to fit more and solve individual farmer's circulation problems. It owned the functions of economy, society and politics and gathered three parts as one body—organizations of cooperative economy, administrative auxiliary agencies and political pressure groups. Through its operation, farmers and markets were tied closely, efficiently protected the benefits of farmers.With the close combination of agriculture and markets, the combination of agriculture, industry and commerce in Japan or agriculture, industry and commerce integration began to be formed and developed. It might use the agricultural sources, improve the agricultural economic benefit, push directly the development of agriculture itself. This was the important symbol of the agricultural modernization.The third part mainly analyzed the experience and problems about the agricultural modernization in Japan.The experience about the agricultural modernization in Japan mainly reflected in the following aspects:Firstly, the government's agricultural policies pushed the development of agricultural modernization. What the Japanese government interfered the agriculture mainly reflected that it made and formed a complete law system of agriculture. Secondly, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation System played the big function during the accomplishment of agricultural modernization in Japan. The running organization of agriculture was an inexorable trend during the marketability of agriculture and the economic globalization. National Agricultural Cooperative Federation System in Japan was the system of economic operative organization in the country to fit the tendency. In the period of the agricultural modernization in Japan, the unique National Agricultural Cooperative Federation System played a very important role. Thirdly, the Japanese government emphasized the agricultural education and strengthened the scientific technology extension of agriculture, advanced the productivity.The problems about the agricultural modernization in Japan mainly reflected the four aspects:The first, in the course of the agricultural modernization, decline for degree of self-sufficiency of grain. The second, the negative influence of a number of labor population in the country into the city. The third, the limitations of agricultural modernization in Japan because of the small scale of the agricultural running. The fourth, the heavy polluted problems caused by the agricultural modernization .