Japan farming decline has reached a historic low, with self-employed farmworkers falling to 1.02 million in 2025. This represents a 25.1 percent drop from five years ago, marking the largest decrease ever recorded. The decline reflects the ongoing challenges faced by Japan’s agricultural sector, including an aging workforce and low participation from younger generations.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported that the average age of core agricultural workers fell slightly to 67.6 years, down from 67.8 in 2020. This is the first decline in average age since 1995 and reflects the impact of retirements on the sector. Total agricultural workers dropped by 342,000 compared with the previous census, signaling a shrinking labor force. Soaring material costs have also deterred new entrants from pursuing farming careers.
Farm business entities, including corporations, decreased by 23 percent to 828,000, falling below the one-million mark for the first time since 2005. Meanwhile, cooperative business entities, excluding individual operators, rose 2.9 percent to 39,000. Analysts say these trends highlight a consolidation in the sector, with fewer but larger businesses taking the lead.
Farmland consolidation continued as the cultivated area per business entity increased by 0.6 hectares to 3.7 hectares. For the first time, over half of the total cultivated area was managed by large-scale farms operating 20 hectares or more. Experts warn that while this improves efficiency, it may limit opportunities for smaller family farms and further reduce workforce diversity.
Forest land decreased by 20,000 hectares to roughly 24.75 million hectares, with private ownership accounting for 71.2 percent. Forests now cover 66.3 percent of Japan’s total land area, down slightly from previous years. The number of forestry business entities fell 32.9 percent to 23,000, highlighting broader challenges in rural resource management.
Analysts caution that the Japan farming decline threatens rural communities and could leave farmland abandoned. Policymakers are exploring strategies to attract younger workers, reduce operational costs, and promote sustainable farming practices. Government officials emphasize that technological innovation and strategic investment will play a critical role in maintaining Japan’s agricultural sector.
If these measures succeed, rural economies can stabilize, and food security can be protected in the coming decades. Meanwhile, the nation faces a pressing need to balance modernization with support for traditional farm operations.
