Hokkaido prefecturel assembly adopts anti-FTA resolution
The Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly on October 9 adopted a resolution opposing the start of Japan-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
All parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, voted in favor of the resolution, while only the Democratic Party of Japan opposed it.
The resolution argues that a Japan-U.S. FTA will destroy not only Hokkaido’s farm produce such as sugar, starch, and dairy products that compete with U.S. produce but will also devastate local economies and communities.
The DPJ in the recent House of Representatives election promised that it will promote the Japan-U.S. FTA negotiations, but farmers in Hokkaido are voicing opposition to the DPJ policy.
The DPJ claims that it won in all electoral districts, including farming areas in Hokkaido, but JCP member of the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly Hanaoka Yuriko said, “The election result doesn’t mean that Hokkaido voters expressed their support for all the DPJ policies. She said that Hokkaido’s JCP is demanding that Governor Takahashi Harumi oppose the start of negotiations on a Japan-U.S. FTA and on the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
- Akahata, October 11, 2009