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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Month-long national campaign for safety of food and defense of agriculture closes

The National Liaison Council for People's Food and Health (Shokkenren) on December 6 closed the Green Wave national campaign which began in October, calling for the defense of Japan's agriculture and access to safe food.

Under the Koizumi Cabinet's policy of opening the Japanese market to foreign products threatening Japan's agriculture and food safety, the Green Wave has been organized to urge the government to increase the food self-sufficiency rate and not to resume unsafe U.S. beef imports. Mayors of 111 local municipalities, 151 heads of agricultural cooperatives, 57 heads of dairy cooperatives and representatives of 83 trade unions and democratic organizations gave their signatures in support of the campaign.

Participants in the Wave made representations to the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry and the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry and presented them with the signatures collected.

They emphasized that agricultural imports are actually increasing, and that the market price of rice and vegetables is falling. They pointed out that the government policy of eliminating 90 percent of small farm households will bring about a crisis in several years in which no one will want to take up farming.

Agriculture Minister Nakagawa Shoichi said that it is necessary for Japan to make concessions in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.

The WTO ministerial meeting, the highest decision-making body of the organization, will be held in Hong Kong from December 13 to 18. Many farmers and other workers as well as consumers are preparing to take part in the meetings in Hong Kong of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), calling for sovereignty in food by which every country is ensured the right to decide on a policy to provide its people with a stable supply of safe food.

The National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nominren) and Shokkenren together will send more than a hundred delegates, far greater than initially estimated.

They will exchange ideas with foreign delegates in the quest for sovereignty in food against the WTO system designed to primarily protect the interests of exporting countries and multinational corporations.
- Akahata, December 7, 2005