Category Archives: Farm Policy

Japanese restaurants abroad with official recognition grow

TOKYO, May 22 — Restaurants and retailers abroad who obtained official recognition of Japanese food supporters keep growing, as the popularity of Japanese dish, or washoku, has hit new heights around the world in recent years. The number of Japanese restaurants and retailers abroad who acquired the certification totaled 2,931 in 2017, more than 20 times from 133 a year earlier, according to the agriculture ministry. The ministry started a certification system in 2016 for overseas restaurants and stores who use Japanese food and ingredients. Under the scheme, for example, restaurants have to consistently serve food using Japanese food products and alcoholic beverages, showcase them on the menu, and promote … Continue reading

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【Opinion】 Creation of Japan Co-operative Alliance a chance to share sense of solidarity(May 21)

[By Yuichiro Nakagawa, professor emeritus of Meiji University] On April 1, Japan Co-operative Alliance (JCA) was established to serve as the national center for 17 cooperatives, including the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-ZENCHU), Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU), National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations (ZENGYOREN), National Federation of Forest Owners’ Co-operative Associations (ZENMORIREN), Japan Workers’ Co-operative Union (Jigyodan), National Federation of University Co-operative Associations (NFUCA) and Japanese Health and Welfare Co-operative Associations (HeW CO-OP Japan). I would like to pay my respects to the group for setting the goal of sharing a sense of solidarity and being responsible for the people’s future. Sustainable development I believe that sustainable development … Continue reading

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Missing foreign technical trainees in Japan hits record in 2017

TOKYO, May 17 — The number of foreign workers who entered Japan on technical trainee visas and disappeared while working in the country surged to a record high in 2017, data from the justice ministry has shown. The foreign technical trainees who went missing totaled 7,089 in 2017, up from 5,058 from a year earlier. Of those, there were 1207 missing foreign trainees in the agriculture sector. “We suspect those missing foreign technical trainees went for better-paying jobs during their stay in Japan,” said an official from the justice ministry. The accumulated number of foreign technical trainees who entered the country reached 274,233 at the end of 2017. The number … Continue reading

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Japan’s lower house passes TPP-11, pushing related trade bills

TOKYO, May 19 — Japan’s lower house has approved the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the TPP-11, despite opposition efforts to threaten the smooth ratification process. In the May 18 morning, the lower house foreign affairs committee had approved the TPP-11 bill and sent it to the entire chamber to vote on the same day. The trade bill will be approved automatically 30 days after it is sent to the upper house. But for Japan, that is not the end of the ratification process. The governing coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito party needs to pass the TPP-11 related bills, including measures to compensate … Continue reading

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Japan’s PM Abe reaffirms not to renegotiate TPP in favor of US

TOKYO, May 18 — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reaffirmed that he will not accept any terms that would shift the balance of benefits further in favor of the U.S. in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), even if the U.S. might return. “In the agriculture area, there will be no more concession.” Abe told the lower house cabinet committee on May 17. “I made the promises to our farmers and I will stick to my guns,” he added. Abe cited a recent exchange with the U.S. President Donald Trump over the TPP and said: “I made it clear to Mr. Trump that our offer was pretty much the maximum Japan … Continue reading

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