Record heat chokes Japanese vegetable production

The record summer heat of 2023 has damaged summer vegetables and delayed the planting of autumn and winter vegetables in Japan. Although Japan is almost self-sufficient in fresh vegetable consumption, it can turn to imports to make up for potential supply shortfalls. The United States is a leading supplier to Japan for onion, celery and lettuce. Among Japanese agricultural products, fresh vegetables have one of the highest self-sufficiency rates, at approximately 95%. Meanwhile, only around 5% matters, those that do not produce or those that face a temporary shortage of domestic supply. According to industry reports, record heat waves in the summer of 2023 are affecting agricultural production across Japan. The average temperature between June and August was approximately 1.76 degrees Celsius higher than the 1991-2020 average, marking the largest temperature increase on record. Summer and autumn vegetables, currently in the harvest phase, have recorded low yields due to poor ...