TOKYO, Nov. 9 ― Japan’s new agriculture minister, Takamori Yoshikawa, has pledged that his government would take up steps to steer the future of farming and nurture the next generation of farmers.
Testifying before the lower house of agriculture committee on Nov. 8, Yoshikawa told fellow parliamentarians: “In order to ensure sustainable development of agriculture, we need to build a local pool of talents for farms of the future.”
Yoshikawa also stressed that the government will speed up recovery efforts in areas that have been hit hard by natural disasters, including the recent Hokkaido earthquake and torrential rains in western Japan.
In the latest cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in October, Yoshikawa got the agriculture minister’s post.
He also stressed that the government will provide assistance and support in various forms for recovery efforts in areas that have been hit hard by natural disasters, including the recent Hokkaido earthquake and torrential rains in western Japan.