Recent Regional Changes of Orchard Density in Japan

In this paper the writer analyzes some areal trend and characteristics of fruit and grape growing areas of Japan from 1960 to 1980 by applying the statistical method. The Agricultural Censuses of Japan for 1960,1965,1970,1975 and 1980 are used as statistical data. The results are summerized as follows : (1) The total area of apple-orchards of Japan in 1980 is approximately equal to that of 1960. The districts where the ratio of the apple-orchards area to the total harvested area is high are distributed in the Northeastern Region of Japan. The core districts of apple growing are Hirosaki (Aomori Prefecture) and Zenkojidaira (Nagano Prefecture). The difference among the districts in all of Japan in sense of the ratio of apple-orchards area to the total harvested area has shown an increasing tendency since 1965. (2) The vineyards in 1980 increased their area approximately by two times compared to that of 1960. It is noted that the ratio of the vineyards area to the total harvested area is extremely high in Kofu district (Yamanashi Prefecture). (3) Peach-orchards increased their area from 1960 to 1970. But they slightly decreased their area from 1970 to 1975. The core districts of peach growing are Kofu and Nakadori-hokubu (Fukushima Prefecture). The difference in the ratio among the districts has shown a tendency to increase since 1960. (4) Japanese-pear-orchards slightly increased their area from 1960 to 1980. The districts where the ratio of the Japanese-pear-orchards area to the total harvested area is high are located in Tottori Prefecture and the southern part of Nagano Prefecture. The difference in the ratio among districts has shown an increasing tendency since 1960. (5) The unshu-mikan (mandarin orange)-orchards in 1975 increased their area approximately by three times compared to that of 1960. But unshu-mikan-orchards slightly decreased their area from 1975 to 1980. The districts where the ratio of the unshu-mikan-orchards area to the total harvested area is high are distributed in the Southwestern Region of Japan. The difference in the ratio among the districts decreased from 1960 to 1975,but the difference has shown an increasing tendency since 1975