Factors for social acceptance of cultured meat in Japan: the primacy of technological reliability and the indirect role of meat authenticity

Cultured meat has garnered increasing attention as a solution to food shortages caused by population growth. However, as an emerging technology, public understanding and acceptance have lagged behind its development and ensuing legislation. Previous research on social acceptance has largely centered on environmental concerns and technology trust, with limited studies addressing factors like meat consumption patterns and the authenticity of meat. Based on these limitations, this study aimed to analyze the factors influencing social acceptance of cultured meat among the general public in Japan, where relevant research is scarce. The questionnaire structure encompassed five domains: 'conventional diet', 'authenticity of meat', 'awareness', 'attitudes', and 'purchase intention' toward cultured meat. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. The results indicated that 'Technological reliability' (β=.64), 'ethical thinking' (β=.12), and the 'frequency of beef consumption' (β=.05,p=