AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

Kitakata's "Country Elevator" Local rice farmers in the Kitakata area bring their unhulled rice to Kitakata's "Country Elevator". Here the husk is removed and the rice is dried before being shipped out as unpolished rice. This cuts down on time-consuming tasks and allows each farmer to expand the scale of their farm management. The building was designed to resemble the many traditional granaries that can be found throughout Kitakata.

The Situation Today
Fukushima Prefecture's prominent, large-scale agricultural and fishery industries play important roles as suppliers of food, not only to Tokyo but also to the nation. The prefecture boasts Japan's fourth largest farmland area. Because of the favorable climate, many of the agricultural products grown in Japan, including rice, are produced in Fukushima. The prefecture ranks among the top producers of such fruits as peaches, apples and pears and such vegetables as tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as leaf tobacco and raw silk. Livestock farming is also active. Fukushima's 159 kilometer-long Pacific coastline is the site of the prefecture's vigorous fishing and seafood processing industries and the area's haul of fish is among the nation's largest.
The prefecture seeks to ensure the continuing productivity of its agricultural and fishery industries while at the same time working to conserve the natural environment.

Support Measures Although agriculture remains the prefecture's major industry, the number of people engaged in full-time farming decreases each year. The rise in the number of elderly farmers presents a serious problem, as does the increasing competition among agricultural producers. In the fishing industry as well, the number of people engaged is on the decline as fishermen face difficulties due to growing international restrictions on fishing and a rise in imported marine products.

~ Prefectural Agriculture and Fishery by Region ~ Fukushima's agriculture and fishery industries differ according to region, because each of the prefecture's three regions enioy distinct geographical and climatic features.

Hama-dori ............................................................................................................................................................................................................
Located on the Pacific Coast, the Hama-dori region is the site of the prefecture's fishing and seafood processing industry. Most of the fishing is done offshore, while in certain areas shellfish, salmon, and seaweed are cultivated. Today, the region actively promotes resource control fishery, which emphasizes the incubation and cultivation of fish and shellfish.

Naka-dori .............................................................................................................................................................................................................
Based in the northern part of the region, where the climate is suitable, Naka-dori's fruit-growers have become one of the nation's major fruit producers. Vegetables are grown in the southern part of the region and, after the opening of Fukushima Airport makes direct links possible between producers and markets throughout the nation, farming in the region should experience dynamic growth.

Aizu .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The fertile Aizu Basin is the prefecture's major granary. In the surrounding mountains, with their high altitude and cold climate, vegetables and flowers are cultivated.

The Situation Today Fukushima Prefecture boasts the greatest number of newly located factories and the largest amount of products shipped in the Tohoku region. With the completion of a rapid transportation network in recent years, the establishment of electronics manufacturers has proceeded at a remarkable pace and the amount of electronic products shipped now accounts for over 30% of Fukushima's manufactured products. Another prominent feature in the prefecture is the large number of foreign companies being established locally.

0bjectives and Priority Measures
The necessity for Fukushima's industry today is to raise the technological level of local enterprises, develop leading-edge technology that produces high addedvalue products, and nurture R & D-oriented industries. Accordingly, the prefectural government provides technical assistance and support of R & D activities for small businesses mainly through the newly established "High-Tech Plaza" in Koriyama. The government is also promoting the Koriyama Area "Technopolis" Development Project, which seeks to productively blend hightech industry, academic research institutions and comfortable housing and leisure facilities. As part of the project, development of an industrial complex and a new town, as well as the renovation of parks around Fukushima Airport, is under way. The opening of Fukushima Airport is expected to further spur the development not only of leading-edge high-tech industry, but also the growth of existing local industries.

"High-Tech Plaza," a research institution founded in Koriyama in 1992, is the centerpiece of the government's efforts to raise the technological level of local small and medium-sized enterprises and nurture the R & D sector of local industry. "High-Tech Plaza" has been provided with the prefecture's most advanced facilities, which are open to local enterprises. At the plaza, specialists from universities and research institutions from both inside and outside the prefecture provide technical assistance. The plaza's activities are vital to technical assistance centers in Fukushima, Iwaki and Aizu-Wakamatsu cities.

Newly built electric-wave measuring room, High-Tech Plaza, Koriyama

~ Prefectural Industry by Region ~

Hama-dori ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Hama-dori region, particularly the coast, is the center of the prefecture's heavy and chemical industries, and the local electric power industry is one of the nation's largest suppliers of electricity. An industrial complex project now under development in and around the port of Soma will expand the harbor facilities and construct a thermal power station. The construction of the Joban Expressway, which will link Tokyo with the region, is also progressing smoothly. With the completion of these infrastructure projects, the potential for the region's further development promises to grow ever more favorable.

Naka-dori ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Naka-dori region, which is linked with Tokyo by a rapid transportation network that includes the Tohoku Expressway and the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train, possesses the prefecture's most advanced industrial base. Electronics manufacturers are particularly well-represented, and more than half of the prefecture's foreign enterprises are located here. Industrial complexes are being completed throughout the region to attract more advanced high-tech industry, including R & D-oriented industry, to Fukushima. The proximity to Fukushima Airport makes the region's growth potential the most promising in the prefecture.

Aizu ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Aizu region, blessed with abundant water and forests. has long served as the base for such traditional industries as woodworking and lacquerware production. The region is also home to one of Japan's largest sake-brewing industries, which takes full advantage of the high-quality rice and pure water of the area. With the opening of the University of Aizu and the Ban'etsu Expressway, the region anticipates vigorous development.

The Situation Today Koriyama is Fukushima Prefecture's center of commerce. The city leads the prefecture in the annual amount of merchandise sales, both wholesale and retail, followed by Fukushima, Iwaki and Aizu-Wakamatsu cities. Each year sees a rise in the prefecture's total wholesale and retail merchandise sales results. At the same time, however, the prefecture's commerce activity has been buffeted by changes in consumer attitudes and severe competition posed by other prefectures, where large-scale stores have opened. The latter development in particular has greatly affected local shopping districts in Fukushima, resulting in many stores, especially larger ones, moving from downtown to suburban areas. The prefecture is taking steps to revitalize downtown shopping districts.

Support Measures To thrive, a shopping district must not only supply commodities, it must also provide customers with enjoyment, comfort and excitement. To this end, the prefectural government is aggressively promoting the construction of shopping districts, complete with such cultural facilities as a community event hall, as well as stores and other commercial establishments. The government also supports local shopping districts' plans to hold events and festivals to attract more customers. On a municipal government level too, efforts are being made to renovate local shopping districts into more appealing ones that blend harmoniously with respective townscapes.

Culture Center and Trade Fair Hall
To further invigorate industry in the prefecture, Fukushima is planning the construction of a trade fair hall in Koriyama, to serve as a base for information exchange and trade between corporations. Plans are also under way to build an industry and culture center in Fukushima City. The center will have the parallel functions of supporting corporate activities and expanding the cultural resources of the citizens of the prefecture.

Internationalization of Commercial Activities
Fukushima Prefecture is also working hard to increase the volume of its industrial products sold abroad, and the overall trend for export has been upward. Electric machinery and precision machinery account for more than 80% of Fukushima's export total. The prefectural government also strives to raise exports of agricultural products by taking part in international trade fairs both in Japan and abroad. The number of local enterprises venturing overseas continues to rise, and economic exchange with other countries promises to increase further with the completion of Fukushima Airport, the opening of the Ban'etsu Expressway - connecting the Sea of Japan Coast with the Pacific Coast - and the upgrading of such Fukushima seaports as Soma and Onahama.