Abstract: There were great changes for the rice planting area and production in the past 125 years in Japan. The results show that the rice farming area increased gradually from 1883 to the second world war, and decreased before or after W.W.Ⅱ, then it increased after 1960s, up to history's highest peak in 1969, and continued to decrease from 1970. However, the rice yield shows constant increase trend, and now it maintains about 9 million t/a. Because of the rice consumption reduction at 1970s, the rice palatability breeding and cultivation became leading direction, only 4 varieties named as Koshihikari、Hitomebore、Hinohikari、Akitakomachi account for 66% of the rice planting area. In addition, as atmospheric warming caused the decline of rice quality, high temperature resistant breeding and cultivation are researching more and more widely, and some results have been achieved. At present, except rice palatability research, “new types of needing rice” such as animal feeding, rice flour,biological energy use and rice water saving studies come into plan. It is expounded the development of Japanese rice production and research direction, and it will provide some references for establishing China's future rice breeding and cultivation target.

Key words: rice, production, development, Japan