On Japan's farms, a weakening yen adds to slow-burning discontent

Rice farmer Kazuyuki Oshino chats with his son-in-law at a rice field, in Tendo, Yamagata prefecture, northern Japan. REUTERS/Daniel LeussinkYAMAGATA, Japan, June 27 - Japanese farmer Kiyoharu Hirao has started to add more rice to the mix he gives his cattle in order to stretch his money further as a plunging yen drives up the cost of imported corn used in animal feed.

Reuters spoke to two dozen farmers, officials and policy experts across Japan, including a dozen farmers in Yamagata, at least 10 of whom described discontent there or in other agricultural regions, exposing fissures in the LDP's rural base. "It's just low interest rates and more low interest rates and somehow we get by, but eventually the younger generations get stuck with the burden," Hirao said. "I hate all the people Abe appointed. None of them are any good."

"As prices of fertiliser, pesticides and fuel increase, farmers will earn less and grow increasingly dissatisfied. Their support for the LDP will gradually weaken," he said. "The LDP doesn't want to make an enemy of the farm lobby so in terms of elections, they will have no choice but to back policies the farm lobby wants."

"Farmers and agriculture groups were traditionally strong supporters of the ruling party. But over the last 10 years, there are more people who think it's not good to rely only on the LDP," said Toshihiro Ooyama, a 12th generation farmer who heads the agricultural cooperative in Yamagata city. Some economists say ageing Japan can no longer afford to give big support to farmers. Yet without that support, the LDP may lose its grip on a key group of voters.

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