Outlook of Farm Mechanization in Japan
1. History of Machinery Usage in Farm work
1.1. Before the World War II: Stationary Machine (mainly Manual work by hand and Animal drawn plow & harrow, Thresher, Husker, and Polisher for Rice)
1.2. After the World War II: Field Machinery (Power Tiller, Power sprayer, Simple Dryer, etc.)
1.3. High-growth period: (1970-): (Riding type Tractor, Combine, Rice Transplanter etc.)
Key-word = Land reformation (ownership tenant to owner farmer),
and Subsidy for machinery purchase
2. Present Situation of Farm Machinery Production and Utilization
2.1. Riding Tractor Utilization 2.2 Million: average 24.PS (Horse Power) = 12 PS/ha
2.2. Rice Cultivation System (Tillage, Rice transplanting, Rice harvesting almost 100% mechanized)
2.3. Rice Processing Plant (30% of total rice), Artificial vegetable Factory
2.4. Total Production amount of farm machinery in 1998: 492 Billion Yen (0.1% of GDP)
2.5. Export amount: 144 Billion Yen, and Import amount: 28 Billion Yen
3. New Machinery Development and Research work
3.1. Precision Farming using GPS information system
3.2. Agri-Robot (Fruit and vegetable harvester, Automatic gantry crane, Auto-milker etc.)
3.3. IT Farming (Software for farm management, Direct circulation from farmer to consumer by Internet communication etc.)