Young farmers go on a sit-down strike in Tokyo on Tuesday, May 13.
The Japan Agricultural Cooperative group’s youth association members staged a sit-in on Tuesday, May 13, in front of the Lower House members’ office building in Tokyo, calling for protection of Japanese agricultural products.
Prior to the ministerial meeting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks scheduled on May 19 and 20 in Singapore, 150 young farmers nationwide gathered and urged the government and Diet members to keep the Diet resolutions which stated that key farm products be exempt from tariff elimination.They put up signs saying they are strongly against Japan’s participation in the TPP talks and that Japan’s food, lives and agriculture should be protected from market liberalization under the scheme.
Hidetoshi Yamashita who heads the association said farmers are worried because much of the information concerning the TPP talks is not disclosed, adding that it is natural for the government to keep the pledge made under the Diet resolutions. Takehiro Masuko, vice head of the association, stressed the need to protect the future of agriculture and children.
(May 14, 2014)