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PL480 & Postwar Japan — Quick Timeline

PL480 & Postwar Japan — Quick Timeline

A concise chronology of key milestones linking Public Law 480 (Food for Peace) and postwar Japan.

  1. Under the Occupation, Japan’s school-lunch program scaled up with donated wheat and skim milk; the Ministry of Health cooperated with the occupation authorities.
  2. The Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act (PL-480) is enacted and signed by President Eisenhower.
  3. The United States and Japan conclude PL-480 Title I (concessional sales) agreements, positioned as market development toward Japan.
  4. The Oregon Wheat Growers League signs a “cooperator” agreement with USDA-FAS, supporting wheat market development in Japan.
  5. President Kennedy signs Executive Order 10915, organizing and rebranding Food for Peace (program coordination and messaging).
  6. USDA publishes a twelve-year summary of PL-480 (1954–1966), compiling allocation and shipment statistics.
  7. Counterpart funds (local-currency) become central to U.S.–Japan cooperation: yen-denominated payments are generated and proceeds are channeled into domestic investment. — key to financing and policy coordination
Last updated: 2025-08-18 • Keywords: PL480, Food for Peace, Title I/II, Japan, school lunch, counterpart funds

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