It has been a great year. It ended with two United Nation Conferences, about Climate Change, and Biological Diversity. Consumers Union of Japan is covering it. Thanks for supporting us. This is how we made our voice heard, Tabekime Campaign, everyone participated, how we chose what to eat, not the corporations deciding. We, the consumers. We decide, what we want to eat. World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October, as designated by the United Nations. How about it? Videos from our Channel here:
Blog: Breaking Bread (CBD COP15)
Blog: Breaking Bread The expression “Breaking bread” describes an ancient way of sharing food in a friendly way. It means to share a meal with others, and make sure everyone is fed. It is a term used in the Bible, and must have been common in the Middle East and Europe, when bread was made from rye, and harder than today. I thought about this expression as I was following the final moments of the UN Convention of Biological Diversity, as they decided on how to share the benefits of biodiversity. Congo was unhappy with the final deal, the Framework, as it feels it will not get enough from the…
How About It, World, Do We Care About Biological Diversity, Or Not?
Consumers Union of Japan and other groups that we work with, including the No! GMO Campaign, have a focus on the global negotiations to protect biological diversity. We participated in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conferences in Japan (2010), India (2012) and in South Korea (2014). We followed the 2022 conference in Montreal, Canada. We are disappointed about the lack of urgency on new genetic technologies, such as gene-drives and genome-editing, and no progress on pesticides, which we know cause real harm. And why does the United Nation still not recognise the role consumers can play when given the information, and labelling? The concerns raised by civil society…
Stop Gene Drives
Consumers Union of Japan has signed the global appeal to stop gene drives: Gene drive technology uses new genetic engineering techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 to forcibly spread genetically engineered traits, including lethal ones, throughout entire populations and species of organisms. Once released into the environment, gene drive organisms cannot be recalled nor controlled thus preempting and overriding the ability of nations, Indigenous Peoples, local communities and future generations to take their own decisions. Gene drives work against natural rules of inheritance forcing nearly 100% instead of the usual 50% of offspring to inherit their genetically engineered traits. Whereas existing biosafety systems are designed to limit the spread and persistence of living…
Promoting Organic School Lunches in Japan
Report on the Special Forum for the Promotion of Organic School Lunches all over Japan By Koa Tasaka, CUJ The forum was held on 26 October in Nakano, Tokyo. Over 1100 persons attended physically, and over 1800 joined on-line. In addition, 62 satellite places were set up all over Japan, with some 700 persons joining such events. Among those who attended in the main hall, there were 33 City Mayers including Mr. Ohta, Isumi City Mayor who has spear-headed the effort to introduce organic school lunches in his city. Nine Members of Parliament also attended. I attended the meeting as one of the organizers, and I found many persons I…