Does Japan use a lot of pesticides? Trends and international comparison
Use per hectare of cropland compared internationally, and trends in Japan’s shipments
In short
Measured as use per hectare of cropland, Japan is at 10.06 kg (2024, FAO estimate), 2 to 4 times the level in Europe and the United States. It is lower than South Korea (13.03 kg), however, and Japan’s figure has been falling from 15.22 kg in 1990.
Government material says that the Asian monsoon region, which includes Japan, has “weather conditions and production structures that differ from those of Europe and the United States.” Note that amount per area alone does not allow a simple comparison.
Use per hectare of cropland (international comparison)
- The FAOSTAT figure is FAO’s estimate: the amount of active ingredient each country reported using (about 43,000 t for Japan in 2024) divided by its cropland area.
- Japan’s figure went from 15.22 kg/ha in 1990 to 10.06 kg/ha in 2024.
- FAOSTAT has no aggregate for the EU27, so the figure here (2.90 kg/ha) is calculated from the values of the 27 countries.
- A caution when comparing: an industry group (CropLife Japan) explains that amount per area alone does not allow a simple comparison, because of the high share of crops such as fruit trees that use more pesticide, and because of Japan’s hot, humid climate. Government material goes no further than saying that “weather conditions and production structures differ.”
Japan’s shipments are falling
- Shipments of formulated products were 205,148 t or kl in the 2024 pesticide year. Shipments in fiscal 2017 had fallen to 44% of the level in fiscal 1989 (the first year of the Heisei era) (MHLW-funded research).
- About 24% of the technical-grade material (active ingredient) is imported (MAFF, “Situation surrounding pesticides”).
- Shipments (formulated products, about 205,000 t) and FAOSTAT (active ingredients, about 43,000 t) count different things, so they differ by an order of magnitude.
Differences between the ingredients usable in Japan and in the EU
Among the ingredients in this database, 76 are registered in Japan but not approved in the EU. In 2018 the EU banned outdoor use of three neonicotinoid ingredients (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam).
- Dinotefuran
- Clothianidin
- Imidacloprid
- Thiamethoxam
- Thiacloprid
- Nitenpyram
- Fenitrothion
- Diazinon
- Acephate
- Prothiofos
- Dimethoate
- Isoxathion
- Methomyl
- Benfuracarb
- Carbosulfan
- Permethrin
- Fenvalerate
- Bifenthrin
- Flubendiamide
- Spinetoram
- Flufenoxuron
- Teflubenzuron
- Lufenuron
- Methoxyfenozide
- Spirodiclofen
- Chlorfenapyr
- Fipronil
- Ethiprole
- Pymetrozine
- Indoxacarb
- Cartap
- Tolfenpyrad
- Pyridalyl
- Afidopyropen
- Propiconazole
- Myclobutanil
- Triflumizole
- Hexaconazole
- Imibenconazole
- Penthiopyrad
- Carbendazim / Thiophanate-methyl / Benomyl
- Benomyl
- Procymidone
- Iprodione
- Mancozeb
- Chlorothalonil
- Thiram
- Iminoctadine
- Tricyclazole
- Probenazole
- Isoprothiolane
- Pencycuron
- Tiadinil
- Validamycin
- Kasugamycin
- Dimethomorph
- Polyoxin
- Glufosinate-ammonium
- Imazosulfuron
- Bispyribac
- Paraquat
- Diquat
- Trifluralin
- Pretilachlor
- Butachlor
- Metolachlor
- Linuron
- Diuron
- Atrazine
- Propanil
- Oxadiazon
- Asulam
- Chloropicrin
- Methyl isothiocyanate
- Methyl bromide
- Prochloraz
Conversely, ingredients approved in the EU but not registered in Japan (or whose registration has expired):
Reasons for non-approval in the EU include effects on the environment, such as on honeybees and groundwater. Non-approval does not mean that food containing the pesticide immediately harms health. With the 2018 revision of the Agricultural Chemicals Regulation Act, Japan also began a “re-evaluation” system that periodically reviews registered pesticides.
Sources
- FAOSTAT "Pesticides Use" (Use per area of cropland, 2024. Bulk download, retrieved October 1, 2026)
- MAFF, “Situation surrounding pesticides” (January 2026) (Japanese)
- MHLW-funded research, fiscal 2018 sub-study report (Comprehensive research on the evaluation and management of drinking water quality), p. 37 (Japanese)
- 27th Agricultural Materials Council, Pesticide Subcommittee, Material 7-1 (June 28, 2021) (Japanese)
- MAFF, “Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems (MIDORI Strategy)” (May 2021) (Japanese)
- CropLife Japan Q&A (an industry group) (Japanese)
- European Commission "Neonicotinoids"
- EU Pesticides Database (retrieved October 1, 2026)
Last checked 2026-10-01. Systems and figures change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.