Does Everyone Have Access to Food? Emerging Challenges in Regional Agricultural and Forestry Economics Research

In the 2024 revision of the Basic Act on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, food security is defined as “a state in which quality food is stably supplied at reasonable prices and accessible to every citizen,” and its assurance is set as a key policy goal. This symposium is designed to open a shared discussion on how such access can be ensured for every individual in today’s changing society—a topic that has not yet been widely explored within our field. The first presentation focuses on urban areas, the second on rural and mountainous regions, both illustrating where and how the situational norm of food security remains unmet. The third presentation examines the retail and service sectors that directly connect people to food, presenting a framework for understanding their evolving social functions. Through these three reports and subsequent commentary, the symposium aims to foster collective reflection on the roles of industries and policies in delivering food to people, and to invite participants to consider new directions for regional agriculture and forestry research.