cuj-jr-150 (pdf) Japan Resources No 150: Special Biodiversity Issue
Biological Diversity & Organic Farming
2010 is the Year of Biological Diversity and here in Japan, we are preparing for the United Nations conference in Nagoya in October, 2010. In this special issue of our English newsletter you will find articles about experts and activists in Japan and [...]

  12 years of campaigning for more domestic soybeans in Japan
Soybean Field Trust Movement: Nationwide Meeting in Shinjo, Japan 
Press Release: Conference Declaration 
Today, we have returned to Shinjo City in Yamagata Prefecture 12 years after the Soybean Trust Movement was launched here in this wonderful furusato (rural) environment. The Soybean Trust Movement responded to the appearance [...]

“Only good things will come from the clean water that flows in the stream, when only good things are put into the water…”
Notes from a lecture by Mr. Uozumi Michio, Japan Organic Agriculture Association, on December 9, 2009 as part of Consumers Union of Japan’s seminar series about safe living, connecting food and agriculture with [...]

Japanese consumers are strongly opposed to genetically modified foods, according to several large opinion polls. The news that China has approved GM rice was thus a surprise for everyone who cares about health and the environment. China currently does not export much rice, but Japanese food companies are increasingly setting up factories to produce frozen [...]

The Future of the Seed of Life (Part 1) (Part 2)
In the early part of the 20th century, Japanese researchers were the first in the world to develop F1 hybrids of silkworms. This was done using a basic F1 method of breeding and soon it was applied to eggplants and other vegetables as well. For [...]

The Future of the Seed of Life (Part 1) (Part 2) 
Noguchi Isao was born in the seed shop that his grandfather started. In this special 2-part interview Consumers Union of Japan highlights his efforts to share his wealth of knowledge about seed and farming. Noguchi explains his fascination with “old” style vegetables and the huge [...]

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 [...]

Protect biodiversity from living modified organisms at MOP5 in Nagoya!
Japan Citizens’ Network for Planet Diversity (JCNPD) is a nationwide network for citizens who are working on protecting our food crop diversity from living modified organisms.
We started this network in order to act on the United Nations’ major meeting to be held in Nagoya, October [...]

Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant Postcard Protest

(Photo: Greenpeace Japan)
To protect our bountiful nature, food, and life, let us send a message to oppose the full-scale operation of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant.
In November 2008, the Spent-Nuclear-Fuel Reprocessing Plant in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is suposed to start full-scale operations. This reprocessing plant collects spent-nuclear-fuel from nuclear power [...]

071128-yamaura-tasmania-forest.pdf
What is Happening to Tasmanian Forests?

Australia is a huge exporter of iron, coal, uranium, and farm products. Timber production is also active, and a large amount of woodchips are exported to Japan to be used as tissue paper or copy paper.
Tasmania, an island state, is located southeast of the Australian continent. Its area is almost [...]