Throughout Japan, municipalities, agricultural cooperatives, agricultural committees, and farmers responsible for rice production adjustment have organized agricultural revitalization councils (ARCs), which are the driving force behind rice production adjustment. ARCs have been formed in rural areas against the backdrop of agricultural policies such as the prolonged rice production adjustment policy. The Japanese government provides subsidies for rice paddy crop rotation. Although the nominal purpose of these subsidies is to promote rice production, they are, in effect, subsidies to encourage rice production adjustment. This study aims to determine the role of Japan’s ARC, the actual decision-making body for these subsidies, during natural disasters. I conducted a case study analysis of two cities and one town that experienced water withdrawal restrictions due to the eruption of Mt. Iwo. On the basis of data provided by the ARC and interviews with administrative staff, I analyzed the role of the council and the characteristics of its response to the disaster through the establishment of production area subsidies. The councils were identified as having three roles in response to the disaster. First, it was confirmed that an ARC could serve as a decision-making forum for complicated water rights. Second, the government’s disaster response measures include the use of the national production area subsidy, and ARCs have been quick to provide financial support from the government without having to change the system. Third, regarding rice supply–demand adjustments, ARCs encouraged farmers to temporarily shift from growing other crops to cultivating rice in areas other than the disaster-stricken fields.

在日本各地，负责稻米生产调整的市町村、农业合作社、农业委员会和农民组织了农业振兴委员会（ARC），它们是稻米生产调整的推动力量。农村地区的ARC是在长期水稻生产调整政策等农业政策的背景下形成的。日本政府为水稻轮作提供补贴。虽然这些补贴名义上是为了促进水稻生产，但实际上是为了鼓励水稻生产调整而进行的补贴。本研究旨在确定日本 ARC（这些补贴的实际决策机构）在自然灾害期间的作用。我对因硫磺山喷发而受到取水限制的两个城市和一个城镇进行了案例研究分析。根据ARC提供的数据和对行政人员的采访，我分析了该委员会的作用及其通过设立产区补贴应对灾害的特点。这些委员会被确定在应对灾难方面发挥三种作用。首先，确认ARC可以作为复杂水权的决策论坛。其次，政府的救灾措施包括使用国家产区补贴，ARCs很快就得到了政府的财政支持，而无需改变系统。三是关于大米供需调整，