Monthly Archives: July 2015

【News】 Japan agricultural co-op head asks minister in charge of TPP talks to protect sensitive farm items (July 28, 2015)

  Akira Banzai, president of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), asked Akira Amari, minister in charge of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, on Monday, July 27, to keep the Diet resolution calling for protection of key farm products. In a meeting held in Tokyo before Amari left for Hawaii to attend the ministerial meeting of the TPP member nations, Banzai urged the minister to maintain a harsh stance in the negotiations. In response, Amari said: “The negotiations are entering the final stage, and we are determined to be tough in negotiating, keeping in mind the national interests.” Banzai was accompanied by JA-Zenchu’s vice presidents Toshiaki Tobita and Toru … Continue reading

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【News】 1,500 farmers call on government not to cross the red line ahead of TPP ministerial meeting (July 28, 2015)

Some 1,500 people from the agricultural sector nationwide gathered on Monday, July 27, to urge the government not to make concessions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. They called on negotiators not to aim for hasty conclusion of the talks, saying they should never cross the red line of going against the Diet’s resolutions of protecting key farm items. The rally was held in Tokyo, co-sponsored by five national agricultural associations. “We want the government to put into practice what was approved by the Diet. That is all we ask for,” Toyokuni Kakurai, head of the national federation of farmers’ political organizations, said in an opening remark. Until now, such … Continue reading

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【Series】 World War II 70th Anniversary – Old shore artillery battery looking down at peaceful ocean (July 26, 2015)

Kentarou Tominaga, Kotaro Yamada and Hiroki Arai Miura-shi in Kanagawa Prefecture is known for producing a wide variety of high-quality vegetables. In one of the fields there, however, there is a round flat odd structure that actually fits in the place and everyday life of local residents. It is what remains from an old artillery battery, Kenzaki Battery, built by the Imperial Japanese Army. The facility was built in current Minamishitaura-machi in Miura-shi as a part of the Tokyo Bay Shore military bases developed in Meiji Era and during World War ll. A 6-meter-long 15-inch naval gun was located to protect Tokyo and Yokosuka Military Port. Less was known about … Continue reading

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【Series】 World War II 70th Anniversary – Broken plan buried under vegetable garden (July 25, 2015)

Kazuhiro Eguchi There is an unusual vegetable garden in Hananoi, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba Prefecture, with six large concrete tubes sticking out from the ground. The tubes in fact belonged to the old underground facility for the rocket-powered interceptor aircraft “Shusui”, which was to be completed by the Imperial Japanese Army before the end of World War Il. This area was part of Kashiwa Air Field which was established by the Japanese Army to combat US air raids over the country, particularly Tokyo. Shusui with a rocket engine was going to be located here for defense against B-29s. The aircraft, however, never played its intended role as its development did not complete … Continue reading

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【News】 U.S., China refuse to compromise in WTO negotiations for farm subsidies (July 25, 2015)

  Satoko Adachi  – Geneva The stand-off between industrialized nations and developing countries remained in the agricultural negotiations for the Doha Round of the talks under the World Trade Organization, as the members discussed the issue of cutting farm subsidies in their meeting held in Geneva on Wednesday, July 22. The United States and China refused to make concessions, despite common understanding among the members on the need to seek compromise in reducing the subsidies first in order to proceed with negotiations on other issues including tariff cuts on farm products and abolishing export subsidies. Negotiators at the meeting focused on two proposals regarding reduction of farm subsidies. One proposal … Continue reading

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