November 17, 2011
The National Association of Chairman of Town and Village Assemblies on November 16 unanimously adopted a resolution in opposition to Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact at its national assembly in Tokyo.
The resolution pointed out that the long-term economic stagnation has led to the declining vitality of towns and villages, whose key industries are agriculture, forestry, or fisheries, and that the whole nation has been greatly affected by the 3.11 disaster. Participation in the TPP will “bring in a massive amount of cheap foreign marine products to Japan, possibly leading to the destruction of rural villages,” it stressed.
The assembly in which Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Shiokawa Tetsuya was attending as a guest also adopted an action plan to oppose the nation’s TPP entry, including lobbying the government, Dietmembers and political party representatives.
In front of representatives of the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan attending the assembly as guests, Association Chair Takahashi Tadashi criticized the Noda Cabinet by saying, “It is very regrettable that the prime minister announced Japan’s entry into the TPP accession negotiations without providing enough explanation to citizens or reaching a national consensus.”
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Saito Tsuyoshi had the floor right after Takahashi as a speaker on behalf of Prime Minsiter Noda Yoshihiko, who was absent due to Diet meetings. He read Noda’s letter in which the prime minister expressed his determination to work for “reconstruction of Japan to mark a new start toward a bright future” and “reform for local sovereignty.” Some people in the audience booed Saito when he ended by not saying anything about the free-trade agreement.
DPJ Secretary General Koshiishi Azuma did not even touch on the TPP issue either in his speech while he talked about “political responsibility to create vital localities.”
The resolution pointed out that the long-term economic stagnation has led to the declining vitality of towns and villages, whose key industries are agriculture, forestry, or fisheries, and that the whole nation has been greatly affected by the 3.11 disaster. Participation in the TPP will “bring in a massive amount of cheap foreign marine products to Japan, possibly leading to the destruction of rural villages,” it stressed.
The assembly in which Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Shiokawa Tetsuya was attending as a guest also adopted an action plan to oppose the nation’s TPP entry, including lobbying the government, Dietmembers and political party representatives.
In front of representatives of the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan attending the assembly as guests, Association Chair Takahashi Tadashi criticized the Noda Cabinet by saying, “It is very regrettable that the prime minister announced Japan’s entry into the TPP accession negotiations without providing enough explanation to citizens or reaching a national consensus.”
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Saito Tsuyoshi had the floor right after Takahashi as a speaker on behalf of Prime Minsiter Noda Yoshihiko, who was absent due to Diet meetings. He read Noda’s letter in which the prime minister expressed his determination to work for “reconstruction of Japan to mark a new start toward a bright future” and “reform for local sovereignty.” Some people in the audience booed Saito when he ended by not saying anything about the free-trade agreement.
DPJ Secretary General Koshiishi Azuma did not even touch on the TPP issue either in his speech while he talked about “political responsibility to create vital localities.”
