Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2015 October 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

Japan Agricultural Cooperatives: basic agreement on TPP is regrettable

In response to the agreement reached among participating countries to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) group in Japan’s largest farming prefecture of Hokkaido has expressed concern that the agreement on cuts in tariffs and on an increase in import quotas will deal a heavy blow to the agricultural and livestock industries in Hokkaido.

JA Hokkaido Chuokai Chairman Tobita Toshiaki on October 6 held a news conference in Sapporo City and told the press that it is regrettable for the government of Japan to have basically agreed upon the free-trade pact without informing the general public of the contents of the agreement or holding public discussions regarding the TPP.

In Yamagata, another major farming prefecture located in the Tohoku region, local JA Chuokai head Nagasawa Yutaka on the same day issued a comment expressing his dissatisfaction with the agreement which will set up a new quota system for rice imports and will drastically reduce tariffs on imported beef, pork, and dairy products.

Criticizing the central government for abandoning local farmers, the comment warns that the TPP could undermine their motivation to continue farming and will certainly have negative impacts on agricultural promotion in Yamagata.

In other agricultural production regions such as Hokuriku, Shikoku, and Kyushu, all local newspapers have taken firm stands against the basic agreement on the TPP talks. Fukui Shimbun on October 6 argued that small-scale farmers could disappear, causing a further economic decline in the region, and predicted that the Abe government will face severe repercussions in Fukui in the Upper House election next summer.

In the United States as well, trade unions and consumers organizations have voiced opposition to the TPP agreement. Civic groups and activists in the TPP participating countries of Australia and New Zealand have also released statements expressing concern over the dispute settlement provisions for investor-to-state (ISD) and intellectual property rights under the TPP.

Doctors without Borders on October 5 published a statement on its website stating that the TPP will “go down in history as the worst trade agreement for access to medicines in developing countries”.

Past related article:
> Japanese government must not sign and ratify TPP deal: Shii [October 6, 2015]