Supporting Global Food Production and the Earth’s Environment

Japan’s food security is facing its most critical turning point since World War II right now.

With Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate falling below 40%, and in light of the global situation – rapid population growth, desertification, depletion of phosphorus resources and groundwater, and accelerating global warming – the world is facing an increasing risk of widespread hunger. Amid these circumstances, Japanese agriculture is beginning to undergo a major transformation, and an increasing number of companies are now recognizing agriculture as a “growth industry.” At the same time, the fundamental role of agriculture – the foundation of human happiness and survival – is once again being examined.

Agriculture is no longer responsible only for sustaining human society; it is now entering an era in which it bears profound responsibility for the vitality of life across the entire planet.

A new era is beginning.

The Roots of the Program

The roots of this program trace back to the Komaba Agricultural School, which was established by the Meiji government in 1878.
The Komaba Agricultural School was incorporated into the Imperial University in 1890, and in 1910 it was reorganized into five departments: Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry, Forestry, Veterinary Medicine, and Fisheries. Among these, the Department of Agriculture served as the core of agricultural research and education and, for more than a century, produced numerous leaders who supported Japanese agricultural technology and agricultural policy across industry, academia, and government.

As academic disciplines became increasingly specialized, the department was reorganized by 1964 into three departments: the Department of Agricultural Economics (now Agricultural and Resource Economics), the Department of Agricultural Engineering (now Biological and Environmental Engineering), and the Department of Agricultural Biology (now Applied Biological Sciences and Landscape Ecology and Planning).

Overview of the Program

This program has long formed the backbone of the School of Agriculture as a core discipline responsible for central areas of agriculture, including crop cultivation and breeding, control of crop diseases and pests, and ecological management of grasslands.

Many of our graduates have taken leading roles in agricultural policy development and agricultural technology research at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and at local governments, while others have built successful careers in agriculture-related industries, including companies involved in agricultural inputs (such as seeds and agrochemicals), as well as in distribution and food-processing sectors.

A significant number of alumni are also engaged in research and education at universities and international research institutions. Furthermore, in recent years, an increasing number of graduates have been pursuing careers in think tanks and consulting firms.