This research examines critical issues of primary food supply in metropolitan areas and explores solutions from the case study of the Tokyo market. Traditionally in the Tokyo market, development of suburban agriculture played important roles to keep the balance of supply and demand of food and to support domestic producing areas. However, since the late twentieth century, however, not only the expansion of domestic food supply areas but also globalisation of food supply has developed dramatically. As a result, infrastructures of food self-sufficiency in the Tokyo market have been weakened. On the other hand, alternative added values such as freshness, safety and traceability are focused upon nowadays in the food supply system to attract consumers. Therefore, restructuring the food system by examining such values can resolve the critical issues of primary food supply in Japan's metropolitan areas. © Association of European Geographers.