Japan's government and major trading companies have been discussing strategies to ensure stable food imports.
The talks come as intense global competition is adding urgency to the issue of food security.
Agriculture Minister Sakamoto Tetsushi said Japan can no longer import as much food as it wants at low prices. He said the grain-import situation has changed drastically.
Sakamoto promised to support the construction of facilities in exporting countries where grains bound for Japan are stored and loaded.
The trading firms asked for official development assistance to build infrastructure like railways and ports in those nations.
They also urged the government to reach out to its trading partners to clarify and improve existing export rules and practices.
Japan relies on imports for much of its needs for wheat, soybeans and other grains, as well as for fertilizers. But it's facing increasing competition due to global population growth and the expanding purchasing power of China and other countries.