日本地勢複雜，降雨量多，故作物種類繁多，病蟲害及雜草防治亦需多種不同農藥。其農藥總用量僅次於美國，在1989年之總生產量達41,500億日元，其中殺蟲劑占35%，殺草劑占31%，殺菌劑占24%，種類達380種。以劑型來分粒劑占41%，粉劑占28%，乳劑占31％；粒劑在1989年達220,450噸，56%用在水田。1989年的農藥出口值為653億日元，進口值為536億日元，主要輸出國為中國大陸、美國、韓國、法國、伊朗、義大利、英國、蘇俄及台灣，進口則來自美國、西德、瑞士、法國、英國等，包括杜邦、孟山都、拜耳、汽巴、嘉基、Chevron和Rhone-Poulenc等公司。日本的化學公司大概與農藥工業多少都有關係，大的化學公司生產大量的農藥，但抗生素，植物生長調節素，昆蟲生長抑制素及賈洛蒙則由製藥公司生產，1989年日本生產之主要農藥(工業原料級)有fenitrothion (10767T)，D-D(8364T), methylbromide(8104T), chloropicrin(6767T), isoprocarb(4579T), thiophanatemethyl(6093T),chlorothalonil(3542T),benthiocarb(4798T), chlorate-Na (2155T) and Sethoxy-dim (1827T)。所開發之優良農藥包括合成除蟲菊，diphenylether, sulfonylurea, pyrazol　衍生物等。優良新農藥之開發實際需要國際上的合作，群策群力共謀發展。

Japan, due to topographic features vary considerably andhigh rainfall with types of crops and pests also vary requiresdifferent kinds of pesticides. Japan ranks second in the world,following the United States in pesticide consumption. The totalproduction of pesticides reached 辛415 ， 002 million in 1989.Showing each pesticide group as a percentage of total, the insecticideconstituted 35%, herbicide 31%, fungicide 24%, insectfungicide7% and others 3%. Total production in recent yearsshowed nearly equal, and that about 380 kinds of pesticideswere used ín 1989. The type of granule constituted 41%, dust28%, EC 13%, others 18%, and the amount of granular typein 1989 reached 220,405T and then 56% of it was used forpaddy field. In 1989 exports of these chemicals were valued at于65 ， 300 million, and imports at 辛53 ， 600 million. Japan'smain customers were P. R. China, U. S. A., Korea, Frarrce,Iran, Italy, England, USSR, and Taiwan. As for the import,many pesticides were impotred from U. S. A., West Germany,Switzerland, France, England etc., and manufactures were asfollows:Du Pont, Monsanto, Bayer, Ciba-Geigy, Shevron, RhonePoulencetc.. In Japan, many chemical companies, are concernedmore or less with pesticides industries. The largeamount pesticides are produced by many big chemical industries,and antibiotics, PGR, IGR, and pheromons are producedby pharmaceutical companies. In 1989, major pesticdes (technicalgrade) produced in Japan were: fenitrothion (10767T), D-D(8364T), methylbromide (8104T), chloropicrin (6767T), isoprocarb(4579T), thiophanatemethyl (6093T), chlorothalonil (3542T),benthiocarb (4798T) , chlorate-Na (2155T) and sethoxydim(1827T). Recently, many good pesticides have been developed inJapan and draw the attention of the whole world, especially inthe field of synthetic pyrethrin , diphenylether, sulfonylurea,pyrazol derivatives etc.. For the excellent pesticide developed inJapan, academic prizes were given. In future the developmentof new pesticide has entered into a stage of intensive competition,international joint development ,programme will becomemore popular from now.