【Opinion】The globalization myth debunked (Dec. 6, 2016)

[By Hidehiro Kikuchi, President of the Japan Monetary and Financial Policy Research Institute] On June 23, the British voters who supported the nation leaving the European Union won in the referendum, and on Nov. 28, the world was shocked to see Republican candidate Donald Trump win in the U.S. presidential election. As a matter of fact, I was expecting both of the results. I won bets with many of my friends and they treated me to lunch. In both countries, which were the first to adopt globalization and neoliberalism – policies that only works for the rich – the state is weakened by ballooning debt and is divided because of … Continue reading

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【News】Ueyama Mobility Project testing new innovative mobility system for remote mountain villages (Oct. 16, 2016)

Super compact electric vehicles and a small mountenous village. The trial to see if they can make a winning conbination started in January 2016 in Ueyama village, Mimasaka, Okayama Prefecture. The cars that belong to local non-profit organizations (NPOs) and its partners can be used by licensed drivers in the village free of charge as new and hopefully permanent means to get around the distrcit with narrow mountenous roads and no gas station. The trial runs are scheduled to go on for a limited time only. The NPOs obtained a fund from Toyota Mobility Foundation, prepared 10 units of single-seater super compact electric vehicles, the Toyota COMS, and made five … Continue reading

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【News】 “Cooperatives” added to list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (Dec. 15, 2016)

Japan Joint Committee of Cooperatives (JJC), formed mainly by national organizations of agricultural, consumers, and fishery cooperatives, made an announcement on December 14 that “cooperatives” were registered as an intangible cultural heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO). UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which decided to add cooperatives to a list of intangible cultural assets on December 2 in Ethiopia, expressed an expectation for further development of cooperatives’ activities, saying, “Cooperatives have been creating innovative solutions to current social problems by generating employment and assisting seniors.” Higher appreciation has been expressed by the international body of the United Nations, while negative … Continue reading

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【News】Super new functions of natto, soy isoflavones and antibacterial peptides discovered (Nov. 4, 2016)

Super new health benefits of natto and other soy products were confirmed by universities and other research institutions. According to their findings, people can better fight caners, bacteria and pregnancy-induced depression by eating them. Natto can help people fight cancers, says Akita University The anticancer and antibacterial properties of natto were discovered by Akita University. The source of these properties is one type of antibacterial peptides, which is produced uniquely when soy protein is decomposed by natto spores. Thousands of different antibacterial peptides have been discovered so far, but this one from natto was found for the first time in the world by the university. There are some other fermented … Continue reading

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【News】 Japan-EU EPA negotiations to focus on import tariff cuts for European cheese and pork (Dec. 15, 2016)

The Japanese government confirmed its decision that it would liberalize a part of agricultural trade in negotiations over the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement or EPA by reducing import tariffs of farm products down to the similar level agreed in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact. It is suspected that import tariff cuts exceeding the level of the TPP agreement will be considered for some products. EU’s negotiators are demanding the Japanese counterparts to liberalize imports of cheese and pork more than the level of the TPP free trade deal. According to sources near to the negotiators, the Japanese government will consider how to make a compromise in the agricultural … Continue reading

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