The Farmland and Rural Improvement Project budget under the Agriculture Basic Law in Japan

The Farmland and Rural Improvement Project (FRIP) system met socioeconomic needs during the time the Agriculture Basic Law (ABL) was in effect. Four hundred and forty publications and revisions of project execution guidelines between fiscal years (FY) 1960 and 1995 addressed the need to modify the FRIP systems. From the viewpoint of budgets, the budget share of the Farmland Improvement Project (FIP) in annual national public works budgets decreased in close correlation with percentages of gross agricultural product in gross domestic product (GDP). The Rural Improvement Project (RIP) share, however, increased during the same time period, in close correlation with percentages of non-farmers living in rural villages. Consequently, there was little change in the FRIP budget share. These changes in FRIP budget structure brought a certain level of FIP investment per hectare, with no increase since FY 1980. In addition, the RIP investment played a role in narrowing the gap in the living infrastructure investment per capita between urban and rural areas.