Japan Press Weekly

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2011 November 9 - 15 [ECONOMY]

Farmers, doctors, consumers, and lawmakers unite to block TPP entry

About 6,000 farmers, fishers, medical experts, consumers, and lawmakers determined to hamper Japan’s entry into negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement gathered on November 8 at a rally in Tokyo.

At the rally, strong opposition was expressed from various fields such as local assemblies, primary industries, medical services, and consumer movements. Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo and Dietmembers of other political parties, except the Your Party, also gave speeches.

Japan Medical Association Vice President Hanyuda Takashi warned of the danger that the TPP would destroy Japan’s public health insurance system. “The present public health insurance system guarantees the people’s right to receive fair and equal medical services. In order to defend people’s lives, we oppose Japan’s participation in the TPP,” he said.

Criticizing Prime Minister Noda’s remark hinting at the possibility that deregulation of medical and nursing care services would come up in the TPP talks, Japan Nursing Federation secretary general Ishida Masahiko said, “(Joining the TPP is) like gambling on people’s lives and living conditions.”

On behalf of six prefectural consumers’ cooperative unions in the Tohoku region (Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Yamagata), the chair of the Iwate Prefectural Consumers’ Cooperative Union said, “The TPP will dismantle the food safety standards achieved through the protracted efforts jointly made by producers and consumers.” He showed firm opposition to the TPP by saying, “It will cause negative effects on recovery from the 3.11 disaster.”

The six unions together released a statement opposing Japan’s participation in the negotiations.

From Japan’s major food supply base of Hokkaido, Prefectural Assembly Chair Kita Ryuichi said, “The central government doesn’t think about job security and the future of local economies. We should never allow the government to join the free trade agreement.”

The Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly submitted to the government a statement calling for the cancellation of its plan to join in negotiations for the free-trade pact.

An executive of a company selling farm-fresh products said, “Japan’s regulations on pesticide residue, food additives, and genetically-engineered products will be recognized as nontariff barriers and be eased if not totally thrown away.”