近年來日本農藥工業發展頗可觀，1981年其總生產額3519.6億日圓。其中殺蟲劑佔33﹪，殺草劑30﹪，殺菌劑27﹪，殺蟲－殺菌劑7﹪，其他3﹪。殺草劑在日本主要用於佔耕地面積60﹪之水稻田。因地質複雜，粒劑及日本產之多種殺草劑曾被使用過。日本輸出農藥金額達577.68億日圓，而輸入為458.83億。輸出殺草劑種類有benthiocarb，chlomethoxynil，MO，propanil，alloxydimsodium等。輸出國為南韓、美國、法國、印尼、西德、北韓、中國大陸、蘇聯、台灣、義大利等。輸入國則為美國、西德、瑞士等。1980年日本生產之主要殺草劑有benthiocarb（9,900噸），CNP（4,755噸），chlorate Na（3,597噸），chlomethoxynil（1,436噸），molinate（1083噸），paraquat（996噸），dymron（500噸），propanil（480噸）等。從1951年引進國外技術生產2,4-D和MCP，在日本取得國外公司許可生產之殺草劑有20種，其中主要者為2,4-D，MCP，gibberellin，nitrofen，ATA，prometryne，propanil，SWEP，paraquat，molinate，oxadiazon等。日本本身之技術發展之主要殺草劑有CNP（1956），benthiocarb（1969），chlomethoxynil（1973），dymron（1974），methoxyphenon（1976），amiprophosmethyl（1978），methyldymron（1978），naproanilide（1979），pyrazolate（1979），alloxydim-sodium (1980), butamiphos（1980）等。激烈競爭發展農藥鼓勵了國際合作計劃，國內公司間之發展協調亦增加而避免無謂之重複。因雜草具有之頑強劣性，使殺草劑之需要一直增加。著者再度強調殺草劑之重要性不遜於殺蟲劑及殺菌劑。較安全、便宜及有效殺草劑應立即加以發展。這樣對人類幸福及克服世界性之糧食短缺才有所助益。

Agricultural chemicals in ]apan have developed remarkablyin recent years and reached 351 ,248 million (Japanese Yen)in 1981. Among them insecticide constituted 34 per cellt ,herbicide 30 per cent , fungicide 27 per cent , insecti -fungicide7 per cent and others 2 per cent.Herbicide in ]apan is mainly concerned with paddy ,fieldwhich occupying 60 per cent of the total cultivated area.Furthermore , due to complexity of geography , many kinds ofherbicides , mostly granule and produced in ]apan , have beenused in paddy fields.]apan exports the agricu1tural chemicals valued 57 ,768million and imports 泣的， 883 million. Herbicides exportedare benthiocarb , chlomethoxynil , MO, propanil , alloxydimsodiuml etc. to Korea , U. S. A. , France , Indonesia , WestGermany, North Korea , P. R. China , U. S. S. R. , Taiwan ,Italy etc. Many chemicals were imported from U. S. A. , WestGermany, Switzer1and , etc. In 1980 , amount of major herbicides(technical grade) produced in Japan is benthiocarb(9 ,900 t) , CNP (4 ,755 t) , chlorate-Na (3 ,597 t) , chlomethoxynil(1, 436 t) , molinate (1, 083 t) , paraquat (996 t) ,dymron (500 t) , propani1 (480 t) etc.Since the introduction of foreign technique for 2 , 4-D andMCP, gibberrelin , nitrofen , ATA, prometryne , propanil ,SWEP , paraquat , molinate oxadiazon etc. are main productsunder the agreement.Major herbicides developed by ]apan's own techniques areCNP (1965) , benthiocarb (1969) , chlomethoxynil (1973) , dymron(1974) , methoxyphenon (1976) , amiprophosmethyl (1978) , methyldymron(1978) , naproanilide (1979) , pyrazolate (1979) , alloxydim-sodium (1980) butamiphos (1980) etc. S-52 , sethorydim ,fulazifopbuty 1, MW -801 etc. are new promising herbicides.Intensive competition for the development of agriculturalchemicals encourages international joint bevelopment program.loint development research among domestic companies has beenincreased to avoid wasteful tests.Demand of herbicides is increasing steadily due to notorioushabits of weeds The author emphasizes again the great importanceof herbicides as wel1 as insecticides and fungicides. Safer , cheaperand more effective herbicides will be developed as soon as possible.These efforts will contribute to the welfare of human communityand to cope with the worsening world-wide crisis.