Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 May 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

Angry voices against TPP increasing in rice-producing area of northeast region

While Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is seeking an early conclusion of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact, in Japan’s rice-producing area in the northeast region, not only farmers but also a wide range of the general public are raising voices against this move.

In opposition to the ongoing talks on the TPP, 21 groups of farmers, small- and medium-sized business owners, healthcare professionals, and trade union activists on May 12 jointly held a rally in Yamagata City in Yamagata Prefecture with 1,500 people participating.

Yamagata Prefectural Union of Agriculture Cooperatives President Nagasawa Yutaka delivered a speech on behalf of the rally organizers, saying, “The government is pushing forward with the TPP negotiations without providing information to the general public. Let’s make joint efforts to increase our protest movement opposing the free trade deal.”

Governor Yoshimura Mieko and Japanese Communist Party member of the prefectural assembly Watanabe Yuriko took part in the rally as guests.

At the meeting, the participants adopted a resolution which states, “In cooperation with a wide range of people, we will do our utmost to promote the movement opposing the TPP.”

After the rally, they marched in the street to show their firm opposition to the multinational free trade agreement.

On the same day in Iwate’s Morioka City, around 800 people gathered for a rally opposing the TPP. The rally was organized by the Iwate people’s council on the TPP issue which consists of 52 groups in the prefecture.

Iwate Prefectural Union of Agricultural Cooperatives President Onuma Masahiko, who heads the council, in his speech said, “We can never tolerate the TPP as it will severely damage agriculture and fishery in the prefecture, destroy the local economy, and hamper reconstruction of the area devastated by the 2011 tsunami.”

The rally participants approved a resolution calling for Japan’s withdrawal from the TPP negotiations and protesting against the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement.

After the rally, the participants held a demonstration march led by tractors, chanting, “Defend the local economy, not the profits of large corporations!”