Japan Press Weekly

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2008 July 16 - 22 [AGRICULTURE]

JCP lawmakers meet with the fisheries association

The Japanese Communist Party on July 16 met with officials of the Japan Fisheries Association (JFA), an umbrella organization representing the interest of Japan’s fishing industry, and discussed the issue of soaring oil prices and countermeasures.

JCP members of the House of Councilors Koike Akira and Kami Tomoko and member of the House of Representatives Takahashi Chizuko attended the meeting.

In the meeting, JFA Senior Executive Managing Director Ishihara Eiji explained fishermen’s hardships and said the immediate need for government help.

In the fishing industry, the fuel cost accounts for 30-40 percent of production costs. Fishermen cannot shift the cost onto the retail price because wholesalers decide the prices through bidding at the fish market. In addition, major supermarket chains are trying to keep the retail price as low as possible.

Ishihara said the industry is calling for some emergency government measures, including direct support to cover the fuel costs, relief of fishermen who have been forced to suspend or end operations, and improvement and easing of conditions for loaning money from the fund established to help pay fuel costs.

Ishihara emphasized, “It is the government responsibility to secure the stable supply of food and make the effort to raise the country’s self-sufficiency rate in food. Many other countries are taking steps to help the fishing industry in paying for the rising cost of fuel. Why can’t the Japanese government do it?”

Koike said, “It is necessary to take effective measures that include direct support to cover the rising fuel prices. We will continue to demand that the government take steps by explaining the hardships faced by fishermen.”
- Akahata, July 17, 2008