The structure of food demand in Japan: An application of the rotterdam system

This study investigates the demand relationships for 16 food commodities and a nonfood category in Japan through the estimation of the per household demand model of the Rotterdam system. It also attempts to assess the predictive power of the estimated model, and to inquire into recent trends in demand changes for food commodities. Estimates of total shift in demands were decomposed into average annual rates of shift in demands with respect to relative price, real income, family size and time. Policy implications of the results are discussed in detail. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.