Regarding the Sept. 18 editorial, "Self-sufficiency amid diversity": Perhaps I am missing something, but in every article about Japan's food self-sufficiency that I have read so far, the word "oil" is never mentioned. Where I live, out in the countryside, besides bird songs and distant ambulance sirens, the sound of the internal combustion engine is a constant, and petrochemical fertilizers and pest-control sprays are the dominant fragrance. In short: no oil, no agriculture.
Since Japan imports practically all of its oil and gas, there is no prospect of food security while that lasts. Going back to traditional farming methods isn't an option either. The bulk of the labor force now toils in the cities. Even if we could find sufficient draft animals, their feed would still have to be imported. Little comfort there then.
Rather than chasing chimerical targets over which a Mideast oil-producing country ultimately has more control than Kasumigaseki, perhaps the white paper brigade would do better to address reality. Oil and gas are traded in dollars. The yen is artificially weak. Let the yen get back to its proper level and the nation's oil bill comes down. Together with the more diverse supply base that extra buying power allows, agriculture becomes cheaper, as do transportation and energy (refrigeration).
Pass on all these savings to the consumer -- still shouldering around 60 percent of GDP -- and bingo: "Beautiful Japan" heaves into sight. Surely the cosseted motor mob and their whining exporter chums would adjust for such a worthy cause.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.