<Currently Active Committees> Economy Vitalization Committee Labor-Management Relations Committee Global Management Committee Transportation Policy Committee Energy and Environment Committee Information Economy & Society Promotion Committee Congressional Forum to Promote Better Management Vision and Ethics The Council for Promotion of Work-Life Balance Urban Policy Committee Management Innovation Committee <Past Committees> Employment Policy Committee Welfare Policy Committee 21st Century Health Committee Social Policy Committee Agricultural Policy Committee   The productivity level of Japan’s agriculture sector is approximately 50% that of Western countries. The share of agriculture in Japan’s economy is dwindling, accounting for 1.6% of GDP and just a little over 5% of the entire working population. However, these figures are larger when industries related to fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and agricultural machinery are included. The decline of agriculture therefore has a direct impact on employment problems, regional economies, and other such issues. In order to reduce the price difference inside and outside Japan and to ensure a stable supply of food, the productivity of the agriculture sector must be enhanced to create a stronger industry. Under the Uruguay Round agreement and the WTO system, the trend toward liberalization is inevitably accompanied by the elimination of the price-support policy and other traditional protective schemes. From this perspective as well, Japan must present and strengthen specific agricultural policies within a grand design for the 21st century. The Agricultural Policy Committee conducted studies and presented policy proposals for the benefit of agriculture in Japan from the standpoint of the private sector, and defined the JPC-SED’s basic stance in order to formulate a national consensus on agriculture. Major proposals and surveys/research presented thus far Strengthening Agriculture in Japan—Proposal for a New Basic Law (August 1998)