Differences in Farmers’ Perceptions of Agricultural Risks and Their Relationship with Socio-Economic Characteristics: A Case Study of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

This study examines how Japanese farm management entities perceive multiple agricultural risks and investigates the relationship between these perceptions and their socioeconomic characteristics. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among certified farmers in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, in 2015 and 2026, and the respondents were classified using hierarchical cluster analysis based on Ward’s method. The results revealed that across both survey years, human risks (such as illness and succession failures) were consistently perceived as the most critical threats owing to the predominantly family-operated nature of Japanese farms. Production, financial, and institutional risks were viewed as moderately important, whereas technological risks were relatively low. Notably, market risks related to agricultural production inputs and commodity prices showed differential patterns: While the perceived impact was relatively modest in 2015, the perceived occurrence frequency was notably high. By 2026, both perceived impact and frequency increased substantially, reflecting a surge in the input price index and rice prices during the mid-2020s period. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified suggestive associations between socioeconomic characteristics, such as age, agricultural sales, and farming sector, and risk perception patterns; however, statistical tests showed no statistically significant associations, indicating that these relationships warrant further investigation with larger sample sizes. The findings of this study provide an important foundation for formulating risk management strategies and agricultural policies tailored to the conditions of individual farms in Japan. These results may inform comparative research on other East Asian rice-based systems, warranting further cross-regional investigations.