Abstract
Working hours and employment characteristics in agriculture in Japan are diverse. For self-employed farmers, especially in rice farming, large-scale farms with cultivated areas of 20.0 hectares or more tend to require approximately 6,120 hours of labor per year. This working hour schedule is subject to the seasonality of agricultural work and weather, but is supported by the use of family labour and seasonal employees. Family labour is at the heart of farming, sometimes involving multiple generations. On the other hand, employees are only hired during peak work periods or for specific tasks, and play an important role as a supplement to the labor force. In recent years, due in part to labor shortages, there has been a demand for technological innovation and improvements to working conditions. Although agricultural working hours and employment characteristics vary depending on the size of the operation and region, it can be said that stable production is supported by cooperation between families and employers.
Self-employed agricultural work hours
The working hours of self-employed farmers in Japan between 2006 and 2022 show changes and characteristics, particularly among farms with rice cultivation areas of 20.0 hectares or more. In particular, the 6,400 hours recorded in 2019 was the peak to date, and although it has since shown a slight downward trend, it still remains at a high level, equivalent to 95.6% of the peak. Such long working hours reflect the seasonal nature of agricultural work and the influence of weather, and it is understood that rice cultivation in particular involves high levels of work concentration and intensity. There are also attempts to reduce working hours and improve efficiency, with technological innovation and mechanization being the driving force behind these efforts. Family labor is also important, and in many cases agricultural operations are run with the cooperation of the entire family. However, external seasonal workers also play an important role, supplementing the workforce during particularly busy periods. Issues regarding long working hours and securing the workforce remain, and there is an increasing need for policies and support to address these issues. Although the number of hours worked in agriculture varies by region and scale of operation, it remains a continuing issue and a focus of agricultural policy.
The maximum is 6.4k hour[2019] of Rice cultivation 20.0ha or more, and the current value is about 95.6%
Employee
Although family labor in agriculture in Japan varies depending on the scale of operations and regional characteristics, its importance and characteristics are notable. According to data from 2022, the maximum family work hours on farms with rice cultivation areas of 20.0 hectares or more was 4,370 hours overall, the average was 2,500 hours, and the total was 4,990 hours. This shows that family farming is still the norm. A characteristic of family labor is that all family members are involved in farm management, and sometimes multiple generations work together on farm work. This collaboration is important for economic reasons as well, supporting the sustainability of agricultural operations. Family labor also offers greater stability and labor costs compared to seasonal or temporary employees. On the other hand, with the aging of the population and the outflow of young people to urban areas, the decrease in the family labor force is becoming an issue. In response to this, there is a demand to promote mechanization and efficiency in agriculture, and technological innovation is being promoted as part of supporting family labor. The average family work hours of 2,500 hours also highlights the extremely long hours spent working in agriculture. This is an inevitable part of agricultural work, which is highly seasonal, and in particular in farming such as rice, which requires the active participation of all farm staff from planting to harvesting. In order to ensure the sustainability of family labor in the future, it will be important to improve working conditions and encourage young people to enter agriculture. This will support agricultural management and local community stability.
The maximum is 2.11k hour[2020] of Rice cultivation 20.0ha or more, and the current value is about 91.2%
Full-time employee
Employer profiles and trends in Japanese agriculture are diverse. According to 2022 data, the maximum working hours for employees on farms with rice cultivation areas of 20.0 hectares or more is 2,110 hours, which is the highest value to date. This indicates an increasing demand for labour in large-scale agriculture. Employees are mainly hired on a temporary basis to cover peak agricultural periods or specific tasks. Rice farming requires a lot of labour during the planting and harvesting seasons, and employers tend to be mobilised accordingly. Workers have different roles depending on the farming technique and task, and sometimes specialised skills and experience are required. The use of employees is an important means of securing labor and carrying out work efficiently, and plays an essential role especially in today’s world where labor shortages are prominent. In addition, employees sometimes move to the region from outside, which has an impact on the local economy and society. At the same time, there is a demand for improvements in working conditions and employment, and maintaining worker motivation and creating a safe working environment are considered important issues. It is hoped that this will improve agricultural worker retention rates and support sustainable agricultural management. The role of employers in agriculture will continue to change in the future due to technological innovation and a more stable labor supply. It is also important to note that policy support and strengthening education and training can be solutions to these challenges.
The maximum is 1.34k hour[2019] of Rice cultivation 20.0ha or more, and the current value is about 91.9%
Agricultural work contract
We will explain the characteristics and trends of agricultural work outsourcing in Japanese agriculture based on data from 2022. The maximum working hours for agricultural work contracted by farms with a rice cultivation area of 20.0 hectares or more was 204 hours, the average was 103 hours, and the total was 206 hours. Agricultural work outsourcing refers to farmers outsourcing specific tasks to outside companies or workers. This includes planting crops such as field crops and rice, mowing, harvesting, and operating agricultural machinery. Large-scale farms in particular frequently outsource work to improve work efficiency and secure labor. A characteristic of agricultural work contracting is that employment relationships are generally temporary. By hiring temporary workers as needed according to the season and progress of work, farmers can flexibly adjust their labor force even during peak production times. In addition, when specialization in agricultural techniques or work is required, the contractor’s expertise and experience will be useful. On the one hand, while agricultural contracting contributes to alleviating labor shortages and controlling labor costs, quality control of work and education and training of workers are also important issues. The combination of quality and efficiency drives technological innovation and the adoption of industry standards. Agricultural work outsourcing plays an important role as part of agricultural management, and in particular is one means of supporting the modernization and sustainability of agriculture. Going forward, further efforts are expected to be made to secure the workforce and improve work efficiency, and policy and technological advances will be key factors in determining the direction of these efforts.
The maximum is 204 hour[2019] of Rice cultivation 20.0ha or more, and the current value is about 980m%
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