Repeal of the Rice Laws in Japan: The Role of International Pressure to Overcome Vested Interests

Agriculture has long been one of the most protected sectors in advanced industrial democracies. The rural biases of electoral systems, high organization by farmer interest groups, and an autonomous policy community have allowed agriculture to resist reform. However, market principles and partial liberalization have begun to be introduced. Japan has one of the highest levels of agricultural protection. Political changes, budget constraints, consumer demands, and international pressure all pushed for a major overhaul of Japanese agricultural policies, but international pressure was necessary to produce substantive reforms. International agreements, in particular, play a major role in bringing about domestic reforms in policy areas with strong vested interests.