Part Two: Report by Article

In Japan, the number of women engaged in agriculture in Japan is 2,171,000 (as of 2000), which accounts for 55.8% of the total population engaged in agriculture. As for forestry, the number is 10,000 (as of 2000), accounting for 14.3% of the total population engaged in forestry, and for fisheries, the number is 46,000 (as of 1999), accounting for 17.0% of the total population engaged in fisheries.

Hence, in Japan, women play an important role in sustaining agriculture, forestry and fisheries including their major role in management. Moreover, they have greatly contributed to the management of life in rural areas and maintenance and vitalization of the local community; therefore, there is a great anticipation for women's participation in the society.

In June 1999, "the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society" was formulated, and in July of the same year, the "Basic Law on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas" was enacted, which appropriately evaluates the roles and works of women in farm management and stipulates Japan's commitment to creating an environment to ensure opportunities for women to voluntarily participate in farm management and other related activities. The Basic Plan formulated based on this basic law was formulated in 2000.

In the "Basic Law on Fisheries Policy," which was enacted in 2001, the advancement of women's participation in society is stipulated. Also, the Basic Plan formulated based on the "Basic Law on Forest and Forestry" enacted in the same year stipulates the promotion of women's participation. Thus, legal framework for the participation of women in agriculture, forestry and fisheries is being established.

In line with the basic plans formulated based on the basic laws, comprehensive measures will be taken for the creation of a gender equal society in rural areas.

In May 2001, in the development of the legal framework, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality with the senior vice-minister of the ministry as the president. To make the efforts genuinely fruitful, the Ministry has been holding local conferences, collecting proposals from the public and conducting related activities for women engaging in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

To advance women's participation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, since 1997, the Government has been implementing measures by promoting awareness of local communities and family members including men, setting targets for women's participation, such as increasing the ratio of women to the total number of board of directors at agricultural cooperatives, and taking other measures.

Looking at women's participation in decision-making processes for policies and plans, the ratio of female members in agricultural committees increased from 0.74% (as of 1997) to 1.64% (as of 1999), the ratio of individual female regular members of the agricultural cooperatives rose from 13.52% (as of 1997) to 13.99% (as of 1999) and the ratio of female officials in agricultural cooperatives rose from 0.29% (as of 1997) to 0.44% (as of 1999). For the fishing industry, the ratio of female members increased from 5.55% (as of 1997) to 5.72% (as of 1998) for individual regular members of the fishery cooperatives and from 0.18% (as of 1997) to 0.23% (as of 1998) for officials of the fishery cooperatives. Although the ratio of female participation is still at a low level, there has been a trend of incremental upward change in recent years.

In rural areas, facing decreasing youth population and progressive aging society, it is crucial to promote settlement of the young generation and to create an environment in which all generations and especially women feel comfortable to live and work.

In order to support activities such as the processing of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and other activities managed by women, the Government is promoting measures such as construction of facilities equipped with childrearing spaces to create an attractive living environment by encouraging equal participation of men and women in local communities, including improvement of social and daily customs, and by utilizing the characteristics of the area.

Whether women receive fair amount of wages or salary for their work is one of the measurements to determine the degree of advancement of the economic status of women.

According to 1999 research, 77% of women engaged in agriculture are receiving wages and salary, out of which 43% receive a fixed amount every month. 23% of the women do not receive any wage or salary. In the age group younger than 30, 84% receive wages and salary, out of which 63% receive a fixed amount every month. 16% of the women do not receive any wage or salary. It is now becoming a standard that the younger age group of women engaged in agriculture receive a fixed amount of wages and salary.

As an effective measure to promote the advancement of financial status and the clarification of functions in Family Farm Management, the Government advocates concluding family business agreements and establishing corporations. The family business agreement is an arrangement concerning working conditions such as salary and days off and on work sharing, decided after discussions among family members engaged in farm management. The number of families which have concluded such agreements is increasing yearly. In 2000, such families amounted to approximately 17,000.

Research conducted in 2001 targeting female executives in farming corporations reveals that 32% of female executives receive a salary (average salary per month) of "between ¥100,000 and ¥200,000," 25% receive "between ¥200,000 and ¥300,000," 14% receive "between ¥300,000 and ¥500,000," 14% receive "above ¥500,000" and 14% receive "between ¥50,000 and ¥100,000." Women receiving more than ¥200,000 every month constitute the majority. This shows that the consolidation of women's status in management and improvement of their financial status have been steadily underway.

Previously, only those farmers who had their own farmland were able to join the Farmer's Pension Scheme. However, as a result of the revision of the Farmer's Pension Fund Law in April 1996, women who do not have their own farmland can be enrolled in the pension scheme if they conclude Family Business Agreements and meet certain pension scheme requirements including that they are engaged in farm management.

The revision of the law has not only made it possible for women to receive pension benefits but also raised their social status by recognizing them as members of farm management.

Moreover, a new scheme will start in 2002, by which anybody who belongs to the National Pension primary group insured, engages in agriculture and is under the age 60, now qualifies for the Farmer's Pension Fund.

Further, spouses and successors who conclude Family Business Agreements with certified farmers and participate in management will be regarded as a target of the aid policy and eligible to receive the Government's subsidy for their insurance expenses.

Income-generating activities such as morning markets and processing and selling of local products have played a major role in improving the financial status of women and in activating the local community and its economy. Further development of these activities is anticipated to stimulate more complex and diversified management and contribute to the increased and stable income of each business. Women groups that proactively participate in farm management are conducting various voluntary activities, and agriculture-related income generating activities run by women have been increasing year by year, reaching 6,824 cases in 2001.

Extension staff stationed in regional agricultural extension offices are conducting comprehensive and systematic activities through contacting those who engage in agriculture, forestry and fisheries by offering advice on technology and management, providing information, setting up fields of display, and holding seminars and training courses.

They are conducting support activities for women, for instance, providing information on technology, management, finance and others necessary for women, and conducting consultations, supporting women's group planning to start income-generating activities by providing a wide-range of information and management guidance, giving advice on how to make entries in job journals and account books, and analyzing their business based on bookkeeping results, offering support toward the improvement of employment conditions, and so on.

The Government provides information on management and supports income-generating activities such as processing of agricultural products so that rural women group can run their businesses stably. The Government also extends interest-free loans to support the activities of women and the aged groups who engage in agriculture and coastal fisheries.

In Japan, the extension service of home economics has produced considerable results. It is now providing services, focusing on daily-life issues more closely related to the production scene and to the community as a whole, such as improvement of agricultural work, coordination of farming and living plans, and revitalization of communities.