Japan's countryside is seeing a historic shift this year: self-employed farmworkers dropped by 25.1 percent since 2020, falling to just 1.02 million—the biggest decline ever recorded. 🌾📉
According to data released in 2025 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, this sharp fall reflects the sector's ongoing contraction amid an aging rural population.
Interestingly, the average age of core farmworkers dipped to 67.6 years in 2025, down from 67.8 in 2020—the first decline since 1995. This change reflects the impact of retirements on the workforce.
With fewer young people entering farming, worries are growing about more abandoned plots and the long-term impact on Japan's food security. The latest census underscores how critical it is to watch these trends closely.
Farm business entities, including corporations, also fell by 23 percent to 828,000—marking the steepest drop since comparable records began in 2005. This data highlights the challenges facing one of Japan's vital industries.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
