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Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

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Food Accessibility Map

1. Estimated Value of Food Access Difficulties

Estimation results based on "2015 Population Census"

2. About Food Accessibility Map

Food accessibility problems, namely the lack of "access to affordable and nutritious food", are not only caused by shopping difficulties, but also linked to a loss of community and nutrition problems. We create a "food accessibility map" using geographic information system data to specify and visualize these problems.

2.1. Definition of "Food Access Difficulties"

We defined "Food Access Difficulties" for those aged over 65 years who live 500 meters or more away from stores, and who cannot use private cars. Stores including super markets, department stores, greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, and convenience stores.

2.2. Methodology of Estimation

The number of food access difficulties are calculated from food accessibility map. Food accessibility map is estimated using geographic information system (GIS) and the grid-square statistics of the population censuses of 2005, 2010, and 2015 in Japan. We sets 500 meters as distance that can go shopping on foot from our previous studies. People aged over 65 years without private cars suffer food accessibility problems the most, so we focused on those elderlies as food access difficulties.

3. About Quotation / Reprint

Refer to "Food Accessibility Map by Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan" when quoting sentences, maps, data, and all contents on this web pages. Please contact us in advance in case of reprinting or redistributing.

4. Corresponding Authors

Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
TAKAHASHI Katsuya, YAGI Kohei, ITO Nobuhiro