Campaign to defend Japan's food and agriculture proceeding

Shouting, "Fully invoke the safeguards for imported vegetables. Take
measures against mad cow disease, and defend rice farmers," a month-long
autumn campaign called "Greenwave" has been underway in major cities at the
call of the National Campaign for Defense of the People's Food and Health.

Following the petitioning with the central government on November 8
calling for steps to fully invoke the safeguards especially for vegetables,
"Greenwave" participants, including the National Federation of Farmers
Movement (Nominren) held talks with various farmers' organizations,
agricultural cooperatives, and related local governments.

"Japan's dependence on imported foods is the highest in the world. Is it
all right to keep on importing foods from the world, when 800 million people
are starving?" said Kyoto Nominren's staff member on November 13.

Delivering Kyoto-made tasty rice "Koshihikari" to passers-by, farmers
collected signatures in petition to the Diet to exercise the safeguards on
selected vegetables.

They requested that the Kyoto Prefectural government use more domestic
wheat for bread for school lunches instead of using imported wheat
contaminated with post-harvest chemicals. The production of wheat has been
urged by the government in replacement of rice to drastically reduce rice
production, but the wheat market is remaining stagnant, they said.

In Nagano City in central Japan, Greenwave members delivered apples to
citizens, calling for raising funds in relief of stockbreeders who have been
seriously hit by the influence of mad cow disease. As much as 80,000 yen was
donated, suggesting strong consumer demands that the government take urgent
steps against the disease.

In the Ginza district of Tokyo, producers handed out Welsh onions and
shiitake mushrooms to passers-by who immediately formed a line. They also
met with the Agricultural and Fisheries Ministry.

The campaign will end on December 4, when negotiations will be held with
the agriculture ministry and other related government agencies.

"The Greenwave campaign, embodying citizens' demands for health and
safety in domestic agricultural products, will help establish a national
consensus to defend Japan's agriculture and food," said a staff member of an
agricultural cooperative-related union. (end)