Food safety can be secured if consumers and producers join hands --Akahata editorial, June 12 (excerpts)

A series of incidents that puts food safety at risk have caused the loss of confidence in the food industry. The recent revelation that artificial flavors containing banned materials had been used for many kinds of food and drinks has forced makers to recall their products.

The artificial flavor maker which had shipped unauthorized substances for many years must be held responsible for failing to check it.

Food additives are currently regulated in accordance with an additional resolution that comittees of both Houses of parliament adopted when the Food Sanitation Law was passed in 1972. The resolution calls for safety tests to be carried out constantly on food additives so that their use may be controlled as much as possible.

Even if a food additive is approved in the United States or is used only in a very small amount and its toxic level is very low, this doesn't mean that its safety is secured.

Pressured by business circles and the United States calling for deregulation, the Food Sanitation Law was adversely revised in 1995 to allow 489 food additives to be used without safety tests, reneging on the parliamentary agreement calling for the restricted use of food additives.

The latest massive recall of products confirms how severe consumers' criticism concerning food safety is.

Consumers and producers are beginning to act together to push the government to learn lessons from these incidents concerning food safety.

Following a series of false food labeling incidents that began with Snow Brand Food, the law concerning the Japanese Agricultural Standards was revised to impose stricter penalties on violator companies and allow the names of makers and dealers that violated the law to be made public.

Pushed by one million signatures and public opinion, a new law was enacted to deal with BSE, although the government and the ruling parties did not have the legislation in mind at the start of the current Diet session.

The next immediate task is to get the Food Sanitation Law revised. The Japanese Communist Party has submitted a draft bill to the House of Councillors, demanding that strict inspections be carried out on imported food, that the use of food additives be further restricted, and that food additives be described on food labels to honor consumers' right to know.

The petition calling for the law's revision which was submitted to the Diet with 14 million signatures has been adopted.

Food safety can only be secured through the joint efforts of consumers and producers. (end)