Miyazaki aiming to keep and make tradition of yagura radish towers Japan’s agricultural heritage system

Miyazaki Prefecture, Feb. 15 – In Tano Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, sun-dried daikon radishes are almost ready for shipment. Building significant scaffolds called yagura for drying radishes in the sun and the cold wind in winter is a food culture that gives Miyazaki’s signature scenery. Now people have gathered to make “the number one production of sun-dried daikon radishes and daikon yagura towers in Japan” one of the Japanese Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Officials of a local agricultural cooperative (JA Miyazaki Chuo), Tano Town Commerce and Industry Association, and Prefecture and Town governments have formed an association, and they are boosting their activities. -Inviting more people for daikon hanging to … Continue reading

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Accounting problems on the classification of liability and equity from the perspective of cooperatives

June 1st, 2019 Norinchukin Research Institute Co., Ltd. AKEDA Tsukuru, Visiting Researcher ■Abstract In June 2018, with regard to the classification of financial instruments under IAS 32, IASB has made a new proposal and invited the public to give comments on the classification of liability and equity based on the two new criteria, “timing feature” and “amount feature” of the delivery of the entity’s economic resources. This newly proposed criteria offer nothing but a working explanation on the controversial fixed-for-fixed condition for derivative financial instruments that are to be settled with their own shares, and on an equity instrument that is not classified as equity. Cooperatives and other similar entities … Continue reading

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Arguments over associate membership system in the Agricultural Cooperatives Act of Japan and their problems

December 1st, 2017 Norinchukin Research Institute Co., Ltd. AKEDA Tsukuru, Visiting Fellow ■Abstract From a viewpoint of the legal system, we have already brought about an end to arguments over a question of whether an agricultural cooperative is an organization of farmers for cooperation or not, since the system has provided the regular members of farmers with a right of control over management of their cooperative. Although an increase in the number of associate members may make contribution to profits of regular members who are farmers, there are not such actual conditions as the increase brings about disadvantages to them. Even supposing that the regular members suffer disadvantages from the … Continue reading

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Agriculture Ministers decide in communique to take actions for food security, support smallholders

Berlin, Jan. 20 – The Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference was held on January 18, 2020, in Berlin, Germany. Agricultural ministers representing nations and regions around the world adopted a communique that calls for actions to promote trade, strengthen agricultural production system, and support small-scale farmers to ensure global food security. The global leaders also confirmed to proactively introduce information-communication technology (ICT) and innovations in the agricultural sector and share information for controlling animal diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). The annual agricultural summit meetings have been held in Germany since 2009. Agricultural ministers and high government officials from 71 nations and regions, including Taku Eto from Japan, and representatives … Continue reading

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Japan’s National Tax Agency to open new export support office for sake FY2020 budget expanded to create new sales channel

TOKYO, Jan. 20 – The Japanese government is boosting the support for the export of Japanese sake, wine, and alcoholic beverages starting in fiscal 2020. The budget for the assistance will be lifted largely to accelerate the creation of new sales channels overseas, such as restaurants and retailers, through established local distributors, for example. The National Tax Agency of Japan will set up an export promotion office in July. The new office will have 18 dedicated officers who will handle negotiations with other countries for removing rules and limits on alcoholic products from Japan and establishing a system that can make the exports easier. The total value of sake exports … Continue reading

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