Tag Archives: News

【News】 Revised agricultural co-ops law ready for approval in Upper House (Aug. 28, 2015)

Posted on 2015-08-28 by The Japan Agricultural News

  The agricultural committee in the Upper House approved the government’s bill to revise the agricultural co-operatives law on Thursday, Aug. 27, with majority support of the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party). The bill is expected to be passed in the Upper House plenary session the following day. Regarding non-farmer members’ use of farm co-ops’ services, the committee adopted an additional resolution calling on the government to fully take into account intentions of the people concerned. This is aimed at eliminating to certain extent future possibilities of the revised law restricting non-farmer members’ use of JAs, which primary JAs had been strongly opposed to. … Continue reading →

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【News】 Seedless papayas grown in Kagoshima attracting customers (Aug. 25, 2015)

Posted on 2015-08-25 by The Japan Agricultural News

Ishigaki Sango, a seedless papaya variety grown in the town of Kikai, Kagoshima Prefecture, is attracting repeat customers due to their sweetness and large size, although the yields are still small. The brand, which was developed by Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, is cultivated by Tsuyoshi Yoshioka, 64, on a 15-are land. The papayas are produced only on a small scale since the young plants are propagated using a tissue culture technology and thus are costly, but the fruit is proving popular, as it has a high sugar content of around 13 degrees Brix and sometimes weighs more than 1 kg. The new papaya variety was registered in … Continue reading →

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【News】 Forest kindergartens gaining popularity, prompting regional municipalities to promote them to lure young families (Aug. 23, 2015)

Posted on 2015-08-23 by The Japan Agricultural News

Izumi Shirayanagi Forest kindergarten programs, which let preschool children play and learn in a natural environment such as mountains and rice paddies, are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. Spending time outdoors in nature is believed to have a positive impact on children’s development both physically and mentally. Local governments have begun providing assistance to the programs to encourage young families to move in to depopulated rural villages. Forest kindergartens first started in Denmark and Germany as outdoor nurseries without ceilings or walls. In Japan, similar activities are introduced by kindergartens, nurseries, afterschool classes and private childcare groups. According to the national network of forest kindergartens, children of such kindergartens play … Continue reading →

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【News】 Farm Ministry to request 2.65 trillion yen in 2016 budget, up 15 percent (Aug. 22, 2015)

Posted on 2015-08-22 by The Japan Agricultural News

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will seek JPY2.65 trillion in its budget request for fiscal 2016, up 15 percent from its initial budget for the previous year, according to informed sources. The ministry plans to ask for a JPY100 billion increase for projects to improve infrastructure for agriculture and rural villages, which is suffering from serious lack of funds. It will request a major expansion in funds to support rice farmers shifting to other crops such as rice for animal feed. By strengthening farm infrastructure and promoting full use of rice paddies, the ministry aims to push toward the goal of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration — developing … Continue reading →

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【News】 More agricultural co-ops having a hand in developing local governments’ revitalization strategies (Aug. 20, 2015)

Posted on 2015-08-20 by The Japan Agricultural News

  Local farm co-ops are working to make their ideas reflected in local governments’ comprehensive regional revitalization strategies by participating in sessions held by their strategic planning committees. Such activities are likely to expand in the future, as agricultural co-ops plan to call for a bigger role in reviving regional areas in their annual national conference in October. The central government has asked prefectures and municipalities to create their own revitalization strategies before the current fiscal year ends in March. To encourage them to develop the strategies swiftly, the government said it would offer additional grants to those which release the plans by the end of October. The draft document … Continue reading →

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