The country should raise its food self-sufficiency rate as the global balance of food supply and demand is expected to get tighter as biofuel production increases, according to a government white paper approved Friday by the Cabinet.

The balance is also likely to tighten due to increases in the world population that will boost grain consumption, according to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's fiscal 2006 report.

Japan may "face rising food prices and difficulties in securing sufficient amounts of foods," the report warns.