Wild harvesting declines as pesticides and imports rise: the collection and consumption of insects in contemporary rural Japan
2015
Payne, C.L.R.
Entomophagy is a traditional element of the Japanese diet. This is also the case in other Asian countries, where there is an increase in demand for edible insects. However, in Westernised countries in a similar economic position to contemporary Japan, cultural prejudices against traditional entomophagy remain strong. This article offers an overview of the current situation regarding entomophagy in rural Japan, a country with a high gross domestic product per capita that has undergone a degree of Westernisation in recent decades. Data collected during 12 months of fieldwork in rural central Japan shows that traditional entomophagy is still present, but the diversity of species consumed has seen a marked decrease when compared to studies undertaken in the 1980s. Grasshoppers (Oxya spp.) and wasp larvae (Vespula spp.) are the main insects consumed in Japan today. Insects hold some negative connotations, especially among younger Japanese. Elderly people are more likely to have consumed edible insects, and contend that the availability of wild insects, particularly grasshoppers, has declined considerably since their childhood. Sellers of edible insects also report a decrease in availability within Japan, and now turn to imported insects to meet domestic demand, which is increasing. Both sellers and consumers attribute this trend to the use of pesticides in the final quarter of the twentieth century. Further research is required to evaluate the potential of domestic insects to meet the rising demand for edible insects in contemporary Japan.
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