On Japanese Food Security

From Our World 2.0

"The modern Japanese healthy diet cannot be maintained without the import of large quantities of food from overseas. The government’s response is to try to raise local food self-sufficiency to 50% by 2020, but so far the situation has only worsened compared to 2008 when food self sufficiency was 41%."

High oil prices equal high food prices
"Back in 2008 when oil prices spiked at US$147 per barrel, there was concern in Japan about a related food price spike (hence the experiment by the Yomiuri journalist).  Various commentators have shown the clear links between oil and food prices. Food price spikes are a major concern primarily for developing countries where millions of people can be forced into difficult circumstances and, in some cases, resort to rioting in the streets as they have previously in countries like Mozambique and Egypt."

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