Japan Press Weekly

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2012 October 10 - 16 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Biggest farmers’ cooperative backs zero-nuclear goal for 1st time

The Japan’s agricultural co-operative organization on October 11 held its first general meeting since the 3.11 disaster and adopted an action plan to endorse the goal of achieving zero-nuclear power in the future for the first time.

The Central Union of Agricultural Cooperative (JA-Zenchu), consisting of 709 local cooperatives and 9.49 million members throughout the country, has long maintained a close relationship with the Liberal Democratic Party which stayed in power for decades and always strongly promoted nuclear power generation.

JA-Zenchu Chair Banzai Akira in his speech stated, “We will seek zero-nuclear power in the future in order to provide people with safe agricultural products.” Regarding Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact, he expressed his opposition to it as it will severely affect the survival of the country’s agriculture.

Representatives of 11 political parties, including Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko, took part in the meeting and delivered speeches.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in his speech welcomed the action plan by saying he will give full support to farmers, and was applauded warmly by the audience.