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.
The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
121–130 of 159 posts
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#122Can 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 fa…
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.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#123Can 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 fa…
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.
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.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you have money, and trade is fairly free, you would never have a famine unless it's world-wide. I mean, let's say all of your crops failed. So what? Just buy them from another country. It's a little more expensive, but better than starving. So why do people starve? It's when your money can't buy anything from another country because people from other countries don't have faith in your currency. Or when you can't t…
Well, in principle, that makes sense, but, to trot out a well-rehearsed example, what are we to make of Ireland continuing to export food during the potato famine in your framework? An unfettered free market will get food to people who can pay the most for it -- which isn't necessarily the same group of people who most need it. Admittedly we are getting away from the example of Japan here where there isn't really a s…
As nradov said above, "Famines are caused by bad governments, failed states, and violent conflicts. Not because there isn't enough food."
Obviously, the Irish Potato Famine was caused by bad government. Instead of being allowed to keep their own potatoes, the government of occupied Ireland, run by Britain, forced them to export them all.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#125Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
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…
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.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#126Agriculture in Japan is very under-developed. You add the import restrictions and it leads to produce being twice as expensive (if not more) than most western countries. It also means lack of variety. And organic products are rare. Shortages are a thing bound to happen. I was hoping for TPP to be accepted, but now I am just going to leave the country.
If you're comparing to produce in the US, the produce here has awful quality and is tasteless. Being cheap isn't that great.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Without protectionist regulation Japanese farming isn't competitive. Without protectionist regulation and subsidies European and American farming isn't competitive either. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6256274
Fair enough. I just meant to say that the point of the regulation isn't necessarily just the quality of the produce.
It may have little to do with policy-making and is surely anecdotal, but Japanese produce is far better and cheaper than what I used to get in America. (And the same is true of meat and baked goods.) The difference is plainly obvious. The idea that anything other than junk food would be worthy of importing from elsewhere is almost laughable to me. On the other hand, I don't buy corn or potatoes too often here.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, in principle, that makes sense, but, to trot out a well-rehearsed example, what are we to make of Ireland continuing to export food during the potato famine in your framework? An unfettered free market will get food to people who can pay the most for it -- which isn't necessarily the same group of people who most need it. Admittedly we are getting away from the example of Japan here where there isn't really a s…
As nradov said above, "Famines are caused by bad governments, failed states, and violent conflicts. Not because there isn't enough food." Obviously, the Irish Potato Famine was caused by bad government. Instead of being allowed to keep their own potatoes, the government of occupied Ireland, run by Britain, forced them to export them all.
That's not quite right. Large holders wanted to sell the food for more money. It wasn't a matter of government agents marching in an commandeering the fields.
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course it's not. When you erect trade barriers with other countries, they don't want to trade with you that much either. So exports to other countries are probably limited by the import policy of Japan, since they never made trade deals that lower tariffs on both ends.
But that is what is, in my opinion, obviously wrong. Go on a drive in any town in America and tell me there aren't a lot of Japanese products being sold here.
Which are much more expensive than American goods, which is what I'm saying is bad. If there isn't an extremely good trade deal between the two countries, then the tariffs will be high. Japan doesn't WANT a lot of American stuff, so they have no incentive to give a really good deal to American manufacturers.
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/10/trump-and-abe-us-may-struggle...
indeed, it seems it's hard to get a good trade deal with Japan (asking for low tariffs on American imports)
Re: The Great Japan Potato-Chip Crisis
#130Can 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 fa…
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.