Grain self-supporting rate in Japan is 28%

Japan's grain self-sufficiency in 2001 was 28 percent, and ranked 130th among 173 countries, according to an Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry study.

The rate was the lowest among the G7 countries. Although Italy was the second lowest country, its rate was 80 percent.

The grain self-sufficiency rate shows the proportion of domestic grain production to the total grain consumption.

The ministry also found out that among 12 "developed" countries, Japan holds the lowest grain self-supporting ratio using a caloric base, 40 percent. It is the only country having a rate lower than 50 percent. (end)