June 17, 2009
A bill that will give large Japanese and foreign corporations freedom to use the nation’s farmland was enacted after being approved by the House of Councilors on June 17.
The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan used their majority force to pass the bill to amend the Agricultural Land Act through both Houses of the Diet.
The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill along with the Social Democratic Party and the People’s New Party.
Under the present Agricultural Land Act, farmland ownership is limited to family farmers and agricultural organizations in rural areas that actually cultivate the farmland and live in that community.
The new law provides that individuals who do not live in the area of farmland as well as business entities, including foreign companies, can own the farmland. The stated aim of the measure is to utilize farmland that is not in use.
At the House of Councilors committee meeting on June 16, Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko criticized the bill by stating, “Corporations follow the capitalist logic and will withdraw without hesitation if they find the leasing out of their land unprofitable.” She said, “The bill will only make it easy to abandon farmland.”
Kami pointed out the danger that farmland can be turned into sites for dumping industrial waste or used for financial speculation. She also said that the measure will leave room for corporations that have nothing to do with agriculture to place community farming organizations under their control, and said, “The bill will negatively impact family farmers, who will be needed to further the development of Japan’s agriculture in the future.”
Kami argued that the government policy of cutting the prices of farm products has brought about difficulties in the first place, deprived farmers of the incentive to continue farming, and demanded that the government drastically improve the system to guarantee the prices of farm products in order to recover the nation’s agricultural base.
During the deliberations in the committee, one DPJ representative said, “(The facilitation of business entry into farming) may cause small farmers to decrease and large companies to increase.” An LDP member also said, “Without appropriate restrictions on business entry, (farmers) may fall into serious difficulties.”
Although voices of anxiety like these were heard one after another, regardless of party affiliation, the LDP, Komei, and DPJ forced through the bill to adversely revise the existing law. - Akahata, June 17, 2009
The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill along with the Social Democratic Party and the People’s New Party.
Under the present Agricultural Land Act, farmland ownership is limited to family farmers and agricultural organizations in rural areas that actually cultivate the farmland and live in that community.
The new law provides that individuals who do not live in the area of farmland as well as business entities, including foreign companies, can own the farmland. The stated aim of the measure is to utilize farmland that is not in use.
At the House of Councilors committee meeting on June 16, Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko criticized the bill by stating, “Corporations follow the capitalist logic and will withdraw without hesitation if they find the leasing out of their land unprofitable.” She said, “The bill will only make it easy to abandon farmland.”
Kami pointed out the danger that farmland can be turned into sites for dumping industrial waste or used for financial speculation. She also said that the measure will leave room for corporations that have nothing to do with agriculture to place community farming organizations under their control, and said, “The bill will negatively impact family farmers, who will be needed to further the development of Japan’s agriculture in the future.”
Kami argued that the government policy of cutting the prices of farm products has brought about difficulties in the first place, deprived farmers of the incentive to continue farming, and demanded that the government drastically improve the system to guarantee the prices of farm products in order to recover the nation’s agricultural base.
During the deliberations in the committee, one DPJ representative said, “(The facilitation of business entry into farming) may cause small farmers to decrease and large companies to increase.” An LDP member also said, “Without appropriate restrictions on business entry, (farmers) may fall into serious difficulties.”
Although voices of anxiety like these were heard one after another, regardless of party affiliation, the LDP, Komei, and DPJ forced through the bill to adversely revise the existing law. - Akahata, June 17, 2009
