ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AND DIRECT INCOME SUPPORT POLICIES IN LESS FAVOURED AREA ; COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE EU AND JAPAN

自1975年以来，欧盟有一项特殊的地区性政策，旨在维持不太优惠地区的农民。根据LFA指令(75/268)，较不受欢迎地区可分为三类：(A)山区和丘陵地区，(B)其他有不育因素的较不受欢迎地区，(C)受特定障碍影响的小地区。1991年，土地利用面积占农业总面积的比例为55%。为了实现LFA政策的目标，欧盟以不同的方式补贴农民：通过投资赠款和补偿性津贴。根据自然障碍的严重程度，每只动物或每公顷提供直接收入支持。在日本，相当于欧洲的LFA是所谓的“丘陵农区”或“丘陵农区”和“山区农区”。日本有促进和振兴这些领域的特殊区域政策。它们是1965年执行的《山村发展法》、1990年修订的《振兴人口减少地区特别措施法》和1993年修订的《促进改善丘陵山区农林等企业基本条件法》。政策的主要目标之一是对丘陵和山区采取措施。重点抓好产业振兴、生活条件改善和农村资源维护管理。到目前为止，日本的LFA政策没有直接的收入支持措施，而是产业促进措施。然而，大多数地方政府都出台了脱钩措施，以重振人口减少和老龄化社会。不仅农业利益集团，而且消费者群体也强烈表示，将直接收入支持措施引入中央政府政策的必要性。

The EU has a special regional policy for sustaining farmers in less favored areas since 1975. According to the LFA directive (75/268), the less-favored areas can be distinguished in three groups ; (a) Mountain and hill areas, (b) Other less favored areas with infertile factors, (c) Small areas affected by specific handicaps. The share of the LFAs in the total agricultural area was 55% in 1991. To realized the objectives of the LFA policy, the EU subsidizes farmers in different ways ; by grants for investments and by compensatory allowances. According to the seriousness of the natural handicaps, direct income supports are provided per animal or per hectare.In Japanese equivalent of the European LFAs are the so-called "Chu-san-Kan-chiiki" or "Hilly Farming Areas" and "Mountainous Farming Areas". Japan has special regional policies for promoteing and revitalizing these areas. They are the Mountainous Village Development Act enforced in 1965, the Special Measures Law for Revitalization of Depopulated Areas revised in 1990 and the Law concerning the Promotion of the Improvement of Basic Conditions of Agriculture, Forestry and Other Businesses in Hilly and Mountainous Areas in 1993. One of main objectives of the polilcies is to conduct measures for hilly and mountainous areas. focusing on the promotion of industries, improvement of living conditions, and the maintenance and management of rural resources. So far Japanese LFA policies have no direct income support measures but rather industry promotion measures. Most of local governments, however, have introduced the decoupling measures to revitalize the depopulated and aged societies.Not only agricultural interest groups but also consumer groups strongly express the necessity of introducing the direct income support measures to central government policy.