Author: Yusaku Yoshikawa, JIN Corporation

Japan’s dairy farmers are facing a tough financial situation. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the number of dairy farmers in the country declined by 5.3 per cent —faster than the average rate of 4 per cent — over the past 10 years. Two major factors caused these difficulties: soaring production costs and cutbacks in milk production promoted by the Japanese government.