Labor costs in grain production in Japan

Labor costs in Japanese agriculture refer to the salaries and wages of people engaged in agricultural work. Grain production, especially rice production, requires labor for many steps, such as planting, harvesting, and maintenance. As the agricultural workforce continues to age and young people are increasingly turning away from agriculture, labor shortages have become a major issue. For this reason, mechanization and automation are progressing in rice-growing areas in an effort to reduce labor costs. However, mechanization requires initial investment, and in some regions the share of labor costs remains high.