June 11, 2010

Source: Crop Biotech Update

GM crop approvals have been stopped in Japan since April 2010 after the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) became the ruling party. The DPJ has not nominated the committee members as yet so no new GM crops have been approved. This will result to the blockage of imports of corn and soybean for food and feed, and trade problems with the USA and Canada that will affect Japanese crop, livestock and dairy industries.

In related news, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council (AFRC) has been distributing pamphlets to enhance the better understanding of GMO in elementary, middle, and high schools in Ibaragi, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures. However, the Consumer Union of Japan claimed that these materials only provide the positive side of GMO. DPJ heeded the claim and stopped the further distribution of these materials and also ordered the closure of all websites on GMO under AFRC and its subsidiary organizations on April 23, 2010.

The original news article in Japanese by Masami Kojima of Mainichi Shimbun and member of the food safety committee was translated into English by Nippon Biotechnology Information Center Director Fusao Tomita. For more information on biotechnology in Japan, email Fusao Tomita at YRL05042@nifty.com  

Website: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/

Published: June 11, 2010