CUJ Codex Task Force Demands (pdf)
On September 24-28, 2007, the Codex Task Force will be held at Makuhari, Chiba in Japan to discuss food derived from genetically modified animals. Consumers and citizen organizations, hoping that the Codex standard will truly protect consumers, are asking the Japanese government to listen to our demands.
Rokkashomura Call for Action (pdf)
The National Network to Stop Radioactive Pollution from the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and Consumers Union of Japan have issued a call for action to stop the nuclear reprocessing plant at Rokkashomura in Aomori prefecture, Japan.
We are making the following demands:
1) We express our views about the actual damage due to radioactive contamination, in order to avoid rumours to spread.
2) We declare that we will independently measure radioactive contamination in order to protect the natural environment and the farming industry from increased levels of pollution.
3) We declare that we will cooperate with farmers and food producers, by connecting consumers to the land.
4) We call for opposition to radioactive pollution from the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, in order to protect the rich and plentiful natural environment, life and food, as well as the air and water.
(Call for action signed by Consumers Union of Japan and other consumer organizations and cooperatives – more groups are invited to participate)
UPDATE: On July 28, 2007 the meeting will be held in order to officially start the national network at German Culture Hall, Aoyama 1-Chome in Tokyo.
Everybody is welcome!
Protest against surveillance letter (pdf)
On June 7, 2007 media revealed that the intelligence unit of Japan’s Ground Self Defense Force had conducted surveillance and made a detailed report about the activities of a large number of groups and individuals who worked on the issues related to the dispatch of Self Defense Force troupes to Iraqi.
Consumers Union of Japan and 12 other organizations are expressing our utmost anger and cannot be patient about it anymore. We protest against the surveillance and data collection, and demand disclosure of all the facts concerning this matter. We also demand strict punishment of the responsible persons in each particular case.
We demand that Fumio Kyuma, the responsible Minister of Defense as well as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the highest commander of Japan’s military should both resign.
Irradiation label letter to FDA (pdf)
Several Japanese consumer organizations, including Consumers Union of Japan, has written to the US Food and Drug Administration to oppose changes in the labelling requirement for irradiated foods.
We are oppsed to the proposal to allow irradiated foods to be called “pasteurized” instead of “irradiated”. We write that these are two different processes and agree with consumers that have reacted to such change as “sneaky”, “deceptive” and “trying to fool us.”
Don’t try to lure consumers!
