Women in agriculture in Japan

[1] Traditionally, women farmers in Japan did farm work and cared for other members of the family.

Most farmland in Japan is used by small family farms, though other types of agricultural collectives are appearing in the country.

The Japanese government has been active in encouraging women to go into agriculture in the early 21st century.

[4] Until recently, women who wanted to become farmers under this traditional model could succeed only by being born into or marrying into an agricultural family.

[6] By 1976, Japanese women farmers were taking part-time jobs in addition to their farm work.

[10] Rural women farmers during this time had a dual role of caring for family members and working on the farm.

[19] After 1999, when the Basic Act for Gender-Equal Society [ja] (Danjo Kyōdō Sankaku Shakai Kihon Hō)[20] went into effect, agricultural committees and cooperatives began encouraging women's participation and have increased women's leadership roles in agriculture.

[22] Products developed included new trucks, outdoor toilets for women, and stain removers.

Japanese farmers, circa 1914–1918.
Japanese farmers, c. 1914–1918
Girls winnowing rice grain. The girl on the left empties a basket of grain, while the one on the right uses a fan to blow the chaff away from the grains as they fall. Circa 1914–1918.
Woman farming in Wajima, 2006