Tag Archives: News

【News】 Fukushima farmers condemn TEPCO and government for not disclosing cesium fallout during debris removal (July 19, 2014)

  Tomokatsu Sowa Farmers of Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, criticized the Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the agriculture ministry on Friday, July 18, for failing to make public for nearly a year that radioactive cesium has been dispersed during work last summer to remove debris at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The fallout may have caused radioactive contamination of rice grown in Minamisoma, as cesium exceeding the government limit of 100 becquerels per kilogram was detected in rice harvested last fall in the city, including areas located more than 20 km from the crippled nuclear plant. In a meeting between farmers, local governments, TEPCO and the ministry held in … Continue reading

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【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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【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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