It seems overwhelmingly mainstream economic opinion that Japanese rice protection is without justification, with huge costs to Japanese consumers and no benefits. Is this a case where the mainstream is right, or are there legit food securit and social welfare arguments to be made for being able to produce a staple locally? It is always interesting to look at the poster children for the conventional wisdom.
Any heterodox works I should look at on this? Is this just pure small interest group catering with no larger benefits for for Japan as a whole, or at least none that outweigh the costs? Would the global south be better off today if Japan was importing rice? Am I right in understanding that Japan currently is exporting rice to hungry nations over U.S. objections, and would release even more if it did not want to avoid pissing off the U.S. too badly? _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
