The 1970s Global Food Crisis and the Securitization of Food in Japan

During the Allied Occupation, Japan imported notable amount of agricultural products from the United States through the food aid program, and even once it regained its independence, it continued to be a major market for the U.S. However, the world food crisis in the early 1970s highlighted the fragility of its food supply system and the risks linked to the high dependence on a single supplier. This led Japanese authorities to redefine the concept of national 'food security' and promote a supply diversification strategy, through investments and aid programs in the so-called 'new agricultural countries'. This article examines the impact of the 1970s global food crisis on Japan's national security discourse and on Japan's international relations. Drawing upon 'securitization theory' and 'food regime theory', this paper attempts to analyze how the 'food dependence' threat was perceived and how this perception influenced diplomatic and policy decisions of Japan's government. It will be suggested that these decisions highly influenced not only Japan's diplomatic relations but played also an important role in the transformation of the postwar international food regime.