Thinking about Alternative and Local Food Networks in Japan: Exemplification of Organic Food Groups Facing the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Concerning about the safety of domestically grown foods has spread in Japan since the Fukushima nuclear accident. In case of the nuclear accident, no one can forecast when the accident will be truly over.

 This study examines how the Fukushima accident has influenced farmers' and consumers’ behaviors. The analysis bases on two data sources: the open-data researched by Miyagi prefectural government and the central government, and my own interview with an organic farmers group in southern area in Miyagi prefecture from 2013 to 2015.

One of the findings of this study suggests that declaring a state of safety based on the official safety standard influence sales recovery. In this research, secondly almost of all farmers’ and fishers’ groups declared a state of safety based on the national standard. On the other hand, some organic farmers’ groups are reluctant to declare the safety. Why are they reluctant?

Firstly, generally organic farmers are skeptical of government’s positions. The government has often protected industry's interests first in case of severe environmental deteriorations.Organic farming movements in Japan were affected and supported from anti-pollution movements in urban areas. Both farmers and consumers who concerning about organic foods are skeptical of the argument that government could manage the food safety in the case of the Fukushima accident.

Secondly, these organic farmers believe that consumers should be the crucial main actors who make a decision on food safety. Their strict and sincere policy has been supported by some consumers, but it resulted in delay of the recovery of sales.

Finally, we discuss the implications of this study focusing on the trust making process between farmers and consumers.