ADB NGO Symposium (pdf) Mr. Yasuaki Yamaura from CUJ will make a speech about demands of Japanese farmers and consumers at the Asian Development Bank NGO Forum in Kyoto, Japan on May 6, 2007. NGO Forum on ADB (FORUM) is an Asian-led network of non-government and community-based organizations that support each other to amplify their positions on Asian Development Bank’s policies, programs, and projects affecting life forms, resources, constituents – the local communities. From a loose network since 1992, network partners agreed in 1999 to evolve the network into an independent organization. Since then, the NGO Working Group became known as the NGO Forum on ADB. Forum was legally incorporated…
Japan Resources No. 139
Japan Resources No. 139 (pdf) CONTENTS: EDC Conference in Seoul, South Korea Demand: To exclude farm products from Japan-Australia FTA negotiations Statement of opposition to the violations against the Japan-U.S. Beef Agreement We request that imports of American beef should be prohibited and demand strict country-of-origin labeling rules Breaking News: CUJ finds benzene in popular soft drinks Appeal Against Patents on Life Report: Attempt to Legitimate GM Contamination Blocked To the participants of the WG Meeting on Low-level Presence of rDNA Plant Material To our readers
CUJ finds benzene in popular soft drinks
On 13 March, 2007 Consumers Union of Japan announced the results of its investigation into 21 popular soft drinks, vitamin drinks, and supplement drinks. 16 of the tested products were contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical benzene. The source is thought to be common food additives such as benzoic acids (E201, E211, E212 and E213) used as preservatives. It has been known for a long time that benzoic acid can react with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) when it is added as an anti oxidant in soft drinks, forming benzene. Consumers Union of Japan wants companies to stop selling such products and immediately stop the simultaneous use of the additives. CUJ also…
Japan Resources No. 138
Japan Resources No. 138 (pdf) CONTENTS: Petition for the labelling of country of origin for food products containing beef Food Irradiation Opposition Keep our Land and Ocean GMO Free! North Korea Nuclear Test: Statement of Protest Proposal to Codex Liaison Committee Our Views Regarding the 6th Session of the Codex Task Force for Foods Derived from Biotechnology To Our Readers
BSE: Statement of Opposition
20 February, 2007 To Mr. Matsuoka Toshikatsu, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries To Mr. Yanagisawa Hakuo, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Statement of opposition to the violations against the Japan-U.S. agreement on the import of American beef (age limit rules) and a demand to stop all imports On February 16, 2007 Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that two boxes of beef had been found at the Yokohama port, without the required hygiene certificates issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The beef in question had been shipped from the Lexington meat processing plant of Tyson Fresh Meat…