A162The world's population is estimated at about 6.5 billion people but, according to United Nations forecasts, it will rise to 7.2 billion by 2015,7.9 billion by 2025, and 9.1 billion by 2050. As the diets of people worldwide increasingly shift from those based on cereals to those based on meat, the use of corn and other cereals for ani-mal feed will intensify rapidly, and there is concern that there will not be sufficient cereal to meet demand. In addition, we have the added problem of global warming. Powerful typhoons, hurricanes and other major natural disasters are occurring in some parts of the world, while desertification is increasing. If these phenomena continue, food supplies could be jeopardized. And if Japan's food self-sufficiency rate remains low, there is the fear that Japan may not be able to secure its food supply through imports. There is also the possibility that international conflict could stop food imports, leading to a situation in which Japan could be hit by food shortages.