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2013 June 26 - July 2 TOP3 [POLITICS]

I won’t be deceived by LDP any more: local agricultural co-op head

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is losing trust in the agricultural field, the party’s longtime support base, due to its promotion of a multinational free-trade deal.

A local agricultural cooperative in Gunma Prefecture, affiliated with the JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Group, has announced that it will exit the prefectural chapter of the National Confederation of Organizations of Farmers and Agricultural Movement (Noseiren), the JA’s political body supporting the LDP.

The Noseiren branch in Gunma has also decided to not support an LDP candidate in the upcoming House of Councilors election because of local farmers’ increasing distrust of the Abe Cabinet, which promotes the nation’s participation into negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP).

Akahata has recently published an interview of Baba Masakazu, head of the local co-op JA Nitta Midori, consisting of about 15,000 members. An excerpt of his interview is as follows:

The LDP has irresponsibly abandoned its slogans in elections such as “firm opposition to the TPP,” and, “We will carry through our policy.” I won’t be deceived by the LDP anymore. I’ve decided to resign from the party.

Prices paid for agricultural and livestock products have continued to decline while prices for necessary inputs remain high. Amid the hardship facing the agricultural industry, an increasing number of farmers throughout the nation are raising their voices protesting against Japan’s entry into the TPP and the position of the ruling party.

In the upcoming House of Councilors election, we have to vote for a political party which understands and will represent our calls. Although I do not agree with all of the policies of the Japanese Communist Party, I believe the JCP is the only party capable of standing up for farmers’ urgent demands in the Diet. That is why I decided to support the JCP in the proportional representation constituency in the Upper House election.

I have put up the JCP’s “Stop TPP” poster in my office. I will try my best to ask the people around me to set aside their political affiliations and vote for the JCP in this upcoming election.