【News】 New health food labels to be introduced next year (July 19, 2014)

  The Consumer Affairs Agency has decided to allow all food products to be labeled as having health benefits to certain parts of the body starting next fiscal year, provided that producers offer scientific evidences, it was learned Friday, July 18. Under the new system, food manufacturers will be able to specifically label their products as being effective in helping maintain the health of eyes or bones for example. As for agricultural products, items with well-grounded health benefits are currently limited to such products as tangerines and green tea. In order to utilize the system to boost sales, it will be necessary to clarify functions of more food items. The … Continue reading

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【News】 Japan-U.S. TPP talks nearing goal, negotiator says (July 17, 2014)

  Takanori Okabe – Washington Japan and the United States ended a two-day meeting under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks in Washington on Tuesday, July 15 (July 16 Japan time), agreeing to meet again early next month, Japanese officials said. Hiroshi Oe, deputy chief TPP negotiator, said although differences remain between the two sides, he hopes the two governments will strike a deal “within several months.” “The fog has lifted,” Oe told reporters, using a mountain-climbing analogy. “Now I can see the summit, which I once could not see.” Meanwhile in Tokyo, TPP minister Akira Amari Tuesday expressed strong determination to settle the TPP talks within this year. In a symposium … Continue reading

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【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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