Survey Shows Growing Awareness of Japan's Food Self-Sufficiency Rate

As many as 91.2 percent of people surveyed think that Japan should increase its food self-sufficiency rate, according to a survey on food released on February 17, 2009, by SPiRE Inc. (former Ergo-Brains Inc.), an internet advertising company. The survey, conducted between January 26 and 29, 2009, is the fourth of its kind in recent years and continued to show a large percentage of people citing the need for improved food self-sufficiency.

When asked what they can do to help increase food self-sufficiency (open-ended question), many respondents answered "Eat more rice" or "Eat more domestic food." The total number of people who are "very consciously" and "consciously" eating domestic food accounted for 72.5 percent of respondents, up 12.1 points from the previous survey, reflecting a growing public awareness of the food self-sufficiency rate.

Those who eat rice for breakfast and those who eat rice three times a day were more likely to be male respondents aged younger than 30 years, accounting for 54 percent and 40 percent of the total survey population, respectively. Food safety concern, on the other hand, increased with age. Among female respondents, the percentage of those who are "very concerned about food security" was 66.0 percent in their 60s or older, and 26.0 percent in their 20s or younger, showing a 40-point difference between these age groups.

The company has conducted this food survey via the internet since November 2007. The most recent survey received 1,000 responses (the male-female ratio was 50/50). The survey was stratified in order to collect equal numbers of responses in each age category, ranging from those in their 20s or younger to those in their 60s or older.

Food Education as a Way to Improve the Global Environment
No.58 (June 2007)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/mailmagazine/newsletter/pages/027832.html

Posted: 2009/06/02 06:00:15 AM