【News】 Nishikawa, the head of LDP’s TPP panel, had talks with the U.S. agribusiness companies (July 16, 2014)

  Takanori Okabe  – Washington Koya Nishikawa, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s committee on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, who is in America to negotiate TPP, had talks on July 14 with executives of agribusiness and food-related firms like the world’s largest grain company Cargill. Nishikawa urged the United States to concede as well as asked for their understanding of Japanese claims to protect the sensitive agricultural products. Nishikawa had talks successively with Cargill vice president Devry Boughner, Tyson Foods vice president Charles Penry, and Tami Overby, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  Each of them has great influence on U.S. Government and Congress.  Hiroshi Moriyama, vice … Continue reading

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【Editorial】 Disputes remain in finalizing TPP, but caution needed in future negotiations (July 15, 2014)

  Chief negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks closed their meeting in Ottawa, Canada, on Saturday, July 12, without reaching agreement on controversial sectors such as tariffs and intellectual properties. The ministerial meeting, which the 12 participating countries had initially aimed to hold during this summer, was put off. Meanwhile, Japan and the United States are continuing negotiations on a bilateral basis, with Koya Nishikawa, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s TPP committee, who is visiting Washington, scheduled to meet U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on Tuesday, July 15. In the negotiations, the Japanese government must not make compromises regarding tariffs on key agricultural products, in line with … Continue reading

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【Opinion】 Katsuto Uchihashi (July 15, 2014)

  <Prominent economic critic Katsuto Uchihashi offers his views on the self-reform of the Japan Agricultural Co-operatives (JA) group in an interview with Masayuki Sasaki of The Japan Agricultural News.> In the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives in 2012, Japanese co-operatives worked under the slogan of “Creating a better society.” Now they should think anew what they mean by “a better society.” While strongly opposing the Japanese government’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, the JA group has recommended and supported candidates from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, letting them win the election and come to power. However, the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocates the ideology … Continue reading

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【News】 Ministers see distance to agreement on TPP (July 12, 2014)

  Chief negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks are due to wind up 10 days of negotiations on Saturday, July 12, in Ottawa, but TPP minister Akira Amari said on Friday, July 11, that the member countries are not ready to hold a ministerial gathering this time, as differences still exist among them, notably the United States and Japan. Agriculture minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also said the same day the negotiations will continue on a working level. Amari stressed that in order to hold a ministerial meeting, gaps among member countries need to become narrow enough for ministers to solve in a short period of time. Chief negotiators of the … Continue reading

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【News】 “Natsu-no-Kagayaki,” summer and fall strawberries for warm areas are cultivated in Kyushu (July 12, 2014)

  National Agricultural Research Center for Kyushu Okinawa Region (KONARC) announced July 11 that it succeeded in growing a new variety of everbearing strawberries, “Natsu-no-Kagayaki” or “summer brilliance.”  Having a high tolerance for heat, stable amount of its harvest is expected during summer and fall.  The yield of its product would be 1.13 tons per 10 ares, which is almost three times as much as that of the existing variety, “Summerberry.”  Natsu-no-Kagayaki is highly resistant to greensickness and easy to grow. The ideal place for cultivating this variety is the area with the highest temperature of 30 degrees Celsius or less.  Kazuyoshi Sone, a senior researcher at KONARC’s Research Group … Continue reading

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