Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 22 - 28 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Farmers & consumers call for protection of Japan’s rice farming

Member farmers of the Japan Family Farmers Movement (Nouminren) visited the agriculture ministry on October 22 to demand that the government take measures to deal with the sharp drop in the price of rice.

Bad weather conditions this year created a large quantity of low-quality rice, and many rice producers are now worried about a further decline in the price of rice caused by the low-grade rice to appear on the market as staple food.

Together with consumers, famers on tractors held a parade through Tokyo’s administrative district. About 250 participants shouted, “Protect Japan’s farming, safeguard our stable food!” Near the Diet building, a group of Japanese Communist Party lawmakers waved to and cheered on the demonstrators.

These farmers submitted a petition to the Diet through Dietmembers, calling for higher rice prices. When the farmers’ delegation visited her office, JCP member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko reported to them on the recent Diet proceedings regarding the price of rice.

Prior to the tractorcade, Nouminren leader Shiraishi Jun’ichi complained that the producer price of rice has become lower than that of bottled water, and said, “Now that some farmers cannot even squeeze together enough money needed for fertilizer, the government should ensure a price that can reimburse them for the cost of production.”

A leader of a women’s organization said, “If farmers cannot continue their rice farming, it is us, the consumers, who will be in trouble. Why don’t we stand up to protect Japanese agriculture?”

Past related article:
> Agriculture minister to JCP Kami: gov’t will lessen farmers’ anxieties [October 17, 2014]