28/12/2025
Japan’s agriculture ministry warned that by 2035 nearly one third of farmland will not have enough workers.
The projection says over 1.3 million hectares could go uncultivated, about 31 percent of Japan’s 4.22 million hectares.
Officials blame rapid depopulation, aging farmers, and shrinking rural communities for the steep labor shortfall.
The ministry based its forecast on nationwide land use surveys released this week.
To respond, the government plans to consolidate scattered plots into larger farms to boost efficiency.
It will also try to move workers from other regions and industries into agriculture.
Experts warn that reduced planting could hit food security, prices, and the survival of local villages.
Industry groups are urging faster steps on training, mechanization, and smarter pathways for foreign and domestic workers.
