Christine von Weizsäcker visits Japan: Genetic modification of living organisms is a threat to biodiversity In October 2010, an important international conference will be held in Nagoya, Japan, to discuss the integrity of biodiversity, as genetic engineering threatens to influence and disturb the ecosystems around the world. The topic of genetically modified organisms is on the agenda in Nagoya, because there is concern that the shipping and handling of imported GMO crops can contaminate local varieties of similar crops. In October 2009 Consumers Union of Japan and other NGOs in the Japan Citizens’ Network for Planet Diversity (JCNPD) invited Christine von Weizsäcker, biologist, author and activist from Germany who has…
Japan Resources No 148
cuj-jr-148 (pdf) Japan Resources No 148 We are having warm days and chilly evenings right now in Tokyo, with a lot of activities and conferences, in addition to the busy political climate. Here is our English newsletter. We think you will find this issue particularly interesting, with articles about nuclear energy protests, the “failure” of cloning as well as food safety. Feel free to download the pdf file and print it for your library. – Editors Content: The Problem With Econa Oil Protect Biodiversity At MOP 5 In Nagoya Consumer Agency And Consumer Committee – Our Concerns 7000 People Saying No To Nuclear Cloning: The Real problem In Japan Researchers Recognize:…
Cloning In Japan Has “Failed”
Report From Our Visit to the National Livestock Breeding Center: NLBC Researchers Recognize “Failure of Cloning” By Koketsu Michiyo, CUJ/FSCW Food Safety Citizens Watch visited the National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC) in Fukushima Prefecture on September 9, 2009. This is the center that has been designated to continue the work that started in 1998 to improve the productivity of cattle breeding using somatic cell clone technology. In June, Japan’s Food Safety Commission stated that “somatic cell cloned livestock is safe for use as human food,” i. e. that meat and milk from from cloned cows, pigs and so on will be safe. However, among consumers, a strong sense of…
World Foodless Day 2009
Today CUJ celebrates World Foodless Day 2009 at an event at the Tokyo Women’s Plaza in Shibuya, Tokyo with many NGOs, including PAN Japan, Tanemaki, Coop Shizenha in Tokushima, and other groups that focus on natural agriculture and rice farming, protecting rice paddies, as we together work for ensuring that consumers have access to safe food. The theme of this year’s event is Rice: Let’s Enjoy Farming, Let’s Enjoy Eating! No! GMO Campaign has more details (in Japanese)
The Problem With Econa Food Oil
Applying the “Precautionary Principle” would help Japan avoid problems like the Econa food oil scandal In September, Kao Corp. announced [1] that it would “temporarily” stop sales of its best-selling Econa food oil products, called Enova in North America [2]. The news was a shock to everyone in Japan as the products carried the designated health food label, indicating that the oil was a food for specified health uses (such as cholesterol reduction). This is an example of the confusion that can occur because Japan does not apply the precautionary principle in its food legislation.