Labor hours required for paddy field cultivation by region in Japan

In Japanese agriculture, long working hours are common in individually managed farms. In particular, in areas with many elderly business owners, working hours tend to be long as many tasks must be carried out by a limited number of people. Looking at the regions, in areas where rice production is major, such as the Tohoku region and Niigata Prefecture, long working hours are required, concentrated during the busy farming season. On the other hand, in suburban areas and areas where fruit growing is prevalent, working hours are maintained relatively evenly throughout the year. The introduction of efficiency improvements and mechanization is the key to reducing working hours.