November 9, 2010

The Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly on November 8 unanimously adopted a statement urging the government not to enter into negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) because it will give a heavy blow to the very survival of agriculture, Hokkaido’s key industry.

The statement points out that if the elimination of tariffs is applied to all imported items, the economic loss in production of Hokkaido’s agriculture will amount to 556.3 billion yen, and 33,000 farm households, or more than 70 percent of all farm households in Hokkaido, will face difficulty surviving. Citing an estimate that a possible production loss in the local fishery industry will amount to over 50 billion yen, the statement expresses concern that Hokkaido’s local economy may collapse.

Following the adoption, at an assembly meeting, Hokkaido Governor Takahashi Harumi expressed her determination to appeal to the government not to join the TPP.

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On the same day, heads of the agriculture, fishery, and forestry industries as well as business and consumer organizations in Hokkaido jointly held a news conference and expressed their opposition to the government plan to join the TPP.

Hokkaido Economic Federation Chair Kondo Tatsuo said, “Agriculture constitutes the main part of Hokkaido’s economy. The business circles advocate an early participation in the TPP, but their stance is different from ours.”

Akahata, November 9, 2010