Paper short abstract:

Japan's new strategy to increase food exports has led to a significant reconceptualization of the notion of national food security. The aim of this study is to examine the new concept of food security and how it affected Japan's economic diplomacy in recent years.

Paper long abstract:

In Japan, the concept of food security has been historically linked to that of food self-sufficiency. During the whole postwar period, Japan's efforts to achieve national food security were concentrated on the increase of domestic production and on the promotion of consumption of local food among Japanese, while protecting the agrifood sector with high trade barriers. It is no coincidence that agriculture and food related issues have been the major sticking points in Japan's negotiations of EPAs/FTAs with partner countries. However, as the constant decline of Japan's food self-sufficiency rate proves, the results of this strategy have been unsatisfactory. In recent years, we have witnessed a significant change in Japan's approach to food security. In August 2013 the government outlined the strategy for incrementing the export of food products and, subsequently, in 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs defined "food export" as one of the main objectives of Japan's economic diplomacy, showing a marked shift in the way the government approaches food security. The aim of this study is to examine the recent changes of the very notion of "food security" in Japan, focusing on the implications of this new conceptualisation on Japan's economic diplomacy. More specifically, we argue that this new approach can explain the recent driving role that Japan played in the negotiations of EPAs/FTAs, such as TPP11 or EU-Japan EPA, as they are seen as a way to increase food exports.