Monthly Archives: July 2015

【News】 Farmers’ delegations from Japan and Canada agree to respect each other’s sensitive products (July 31, 2015)

Hayato Niki – Lahaina, Hawaii Officials of the Japan Agricultural Co-operatives group met Canadian representatives of the farm sector in Hawaii on Wednesday, July 29 (July 30 Japan time), and agreed to push their governments to protect sensitive farm products in the ongoing ministerial sessions under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. As frustration rises over Canada which has been stonewalling demands from others to open its markets, officials of the Canadian dairy, poultry and egg industries which are protected under the government’s supply management system claimed it is important for the Canadian government to keep its protective policies in the run-up to the general elections in October. Toshiaki Tobita, vice … Continue reading

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【News】 Kansai researcher discovers smells that scare mice (July 31, 2015)

  A researcher of Kansai Medical University in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, has discovered smells that terrify mice by acting on their brain circuit to cause an inherent sense of fear. Mice do not get accustomed to the smells even if they are repeatedly exposed to them. If the findings can be applied to other animals such as deer and wild boars, it could be used as breakthrough odor repellents for protecting crops from wildlife damage. Ko Kobayakawa found out that animals’ ability to detect predators through smells is not learned but genetically hardwired into their brain. He identified some 30 types of smell created from synthetic substances that strongly activate … Continue reading

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【News】 TPP ministerial meeting opens with tough talks ahead (July 30, 2015)

Satomi Tamai – Lahaina, Hawaii Trade ministers from 12 countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative kicked off a meeting on Tuesday, July 28 (July 29 Japan time) in Hawaii, aiming at reaching a broad agreement during the four-day session. Prior to the ministerial meeting, Akira Amari, minister in charge of the TPP talks, negotiated separately with his counterparts from the United States, Australia and New Zealand to bridge differences over thorny issues, including rice and dairy products. After the bilateral negotiations, Amari stressed the need for Japan and the U.S. to settle pending issues before the end of the ministerial meeting in order to strike a deal as a whole. … Continue reading

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【News】 Representatives of farmers head to Hawaii to lobby for protection of key farm items in TPP (July 28, 2015)

  A delegation of the Japan Agriculture group left for Hawaii on Tuesday, July 28, to lobby for exemption of sensitive farm products from the negotiations under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. As the TPP member nations were to hold a ministerial meeting there aimed at settling the talks, delegation members will call on the government and ruling party lawmakers to follow the Diet resolution, while meeting with representatives of agricultural organizations in other TPP member countries to gather information. The delegation includes Akira Banzai, president of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), heads of JA-Zenchu’s committees dealing with key agricultural products, as well as leaders of the National … Continue reading

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【News】 Japan agricultural co-ops head urges farm minister to protect rice in TPP (July 28, 2015)

Akira Banzai, president of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), urged farm minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Monday, July 27, to keep the Diet resolution which calls for exemption of key farm products from the negotiations under the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade liberalization initiative. Ahead of the ministerial meeting scheduled to start in Hawaii on Tuesday, July 28, Banzai demanded that the government negotiate with farmers’ feelings in mind and work on protecting national interests at an important stage of the talks. Regarding reports that Japan is considering setting a special import quota for U.S. rice, Banzai said farmers are “extremely worried about” the outcome of the negotiations especially on rice. … Continue reading

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