研究室紹介

Food and Agricultural Policies

Political economy analyses on: neo-liberalist globalization of contemporary capitalism; reconfiguration of global agri-food regime; structural changes in food, agriculture and rural livelihood and related policies of Japan and other countries.

Research Interests

1. Contemporary structure of globalization and modern capitalism
2. Historical development of agri-food policy
3. Policy issues in agri-food system restructuring
4. Structural changes in agriculture and agri-food business
5. Economic and social revitalization of rural areas

With the keyword of "policy", our field of study focuses on all processes from production to consumption of food, and is engaged in research to clarify socioeconomic problems occurring under globalization and the relationship between these problems and policies, and at the same time to make policy proposals.
The characteristics of our field are "the relationship between agri-food problems and the political economic system as a whole," "the characteristics of people and companies involved in food production and consumption, and their conflicts and interdependence" and "their historical background”.
While Japan and many other countries have developed under the economic system known as "capitalism," agriculture has played an important role in supplying food to the people, producing export goods, and as a means of earning income for farmers. At the same time, each country has also developed its own unique trajectory.
Today, the world economy is globalizing along with technological development. The changes in agriculture and the situation surrounding food in various regions of the world and Japan are deeply related to these changes in economic systems. In our field, we seek to understand the issues surrounding agriculture and food in Japan and other parts of the world at this new stage, how fairness and coexistence among the people involved should be achieved, and what conditions are needed to make food, agriculture, and rural areas sustainable over the long term.

Keyword of Research Area