Tag Archives: News

【News】 Citizen groups gathered in Tokyo to protest against secret Negotiations of TPP (Nov. 8, 2014)

  Chikuma Kume Before the ministerial meeting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks (TPP) being held Saturday, Nov. 8 in Beijing, China, citizen groups opposing or concerned about the TPP negotiations gathered Friday, Nov. 7 at the Members’ Office Building of the House of Councilors of Japan in Nagata-cho, Tokyo, and had “a relay talk” and a study session to gain attention for the critical situations. Those attended discussed effects on food, life, or employment if by any chance the negotiation comes to an agreement although there are no specific contents. They raised an objection saying, “We can’t allow basic agreement by the secret negotiations.” This event was planned based … Continue reading

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【News】 Japanese agricultural co-op group calls for legal grounds to give itself a new role (Nov. 7, 2014)

  The Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu) on Thursday, Nov. 6, decided on specific measures for self-reform, including clarifying functions of central and prefectural unions and stating them in the Agricultural Co-operative Society Law. The self-reform plan says central and prefectural unions should be tasked with three roles – representing and advising primary JAs and working as a liaison among them – and stating them in the law so that the unions will be legally responsible for the tasks. The plan states the group’s basic goals are increasing farmers’ income and agricultural production and revitalizing local areas, and calls for creation of 100 billion-yen, five-year program to support primary … Continue reading

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【News】 Number of female officials in JA-Zenchu increased to 1,277 (Nov. 7, 2014)

  The number of female officials (directors, executive managers, and auditors) in the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operative (JA-Zenchu) increased to 1,277 as of July 31, 160 more than that of last year, the JA-Zenchu reported Thursday, Nov. 6, at the council meeting. This resulted from activities trying to follow the guideline of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) that promotes increase in the number of JA’s female officials like last year. It seems that the JA-Zenchu wants to take women’s power and pave the way for its consistent reform. This result was surveyed by JA-Zenchu and the National Council Agricultural Corporative Women’s Associations (JA Joseikyo). Among 699 … Continue reading

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【News】 Local protests rising over nuclear dump site in Miyagi (Nov. 5, 2014)

  Kozo Hikage Farmers of Kami, Miyagi Prefecture, are strongly protesting against the government’s plan to construct in the town a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste, including those collected from the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The Environment Ministry was scheduled to begin late last month a drilling survey at three locations in the prefecture including Kami, selected as candidate sites to store radioactive substances exceeding 8,000 becquerels per kilogram. But the surveying work was stalled in Kami amid demonstrations by residents. The ministry hopes to end the survey by the end of this month before snow starts falling, but prospects are unclear as farmers insist … Continue reading

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【News】 Take a walk in the stars! (Nov. 2, 2014)

  Hiroki Arai – Bamboo Lantern Festival (Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture) – In Kanagawa Prefecture, community groups are already playing an important role in managing, and conserving bamboo forests while using them as a symbol for enlivening communities, under the leadership of a non-profit organization, NPO Japan Bamboo Fan Club. On October 25, 2014, the NPO held the 11th Bamboo Lantern Festival at Kozukue-joshi Shimin-no-Mori park in Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, and turned the park into a stadium of stars. More than 5,000 bamboo lanterns were used to create the fantastic sceneries along the walkways in the bamboo forest of approximately 2,000 square meters. Volunteers lit all the floating candles in … Continue reading

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