Please click here: CUJ JR 163 for the latest issue of Consumer Union of Japan’s English newsletter, Japan Resources (pdf). The theme this time is Consumers and the Constitution.
Protect Article 9!
Consumers Union of Japan again participated in a large demonstration against the changes in Japan’s constitution. The event was held on November 19, 2015 outside the Parliament in Tokyo, and some 9000 people participated. We were joined by our new group, Consumers and Citizens for Article 9, and the photo shows our two flags at the evening protest as we wish to collect 20 million signatures until April, 2016 to abolish the changes made to the popular “Peace Clause” of the post-war constitution. (This is a translation based on a Facebook post over at our new Japanese Facebook page, do have a look and please Like & Follow!)
Tsukiji Fish Market: Concerns About New Location
The famous fish market in Tsukiji, Tokyo will move to a new location. Doubts remain about the safety of the Toyosu site, which formerly hosted a large coal plant for making city gas. It has been found to be contaminated with a high level of chemicals, including benzene (which was 43,000 times above environmental safety standards) and cyanogens (860 times above environmental safety standards). Other toxins that were detected on the site include arsenic, mercury and cadmium. The Japan Times notes: Naturally, existing operators in the market have expressed concern over the move. Makoto Nakazawa, secretary-general of the Tokyo Central Market labor union, is one of them. Nakazawa has worked…
Consumers Want Better Food Labels!
Revision of Japan’s Food Labelling System Advances at Snail’s Pace Food labelling in Japan is handled by the Consumer Affairs Agency, but since the enforcement of the Food Labeling Act in April 2015, the agency has been busy with the functional foods labelling issue while the revision of the food labelling system that is high on the priority list for consumers has not moved forward at all. In discussions with consumers organizations on August 27, 2015, the secretary general of the Consumer Affairs Agency, Kumiko Bando, stated, “We are scheduled to deliberate on the genetically modified (GM) food labelling issue along with Internet food labelling, processed food ingredient country of…
Protest Action Against Arms Trade
Protest Action against Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under the Department of Defense on October 1, 2015 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his administration has done everything in his power to change Japan’s peace constitution, defying the peaceful wishes of a majority of the people. His government abolished the nation’s Three Principles banning exports of weapons in April, 2014. The plan is to make Japan a major weapons producer and arms exporter. Abe has even gone so far as to order the purchase of 17 Ospreys from Bell Helicopter in the United States for $3 billion, wasting an extravagant amount of tax revenue. “Making a profit selling…