Rising food prices, food contamination, reduced food production induced by climate change — food insecurity is spreading all over the world.  Japan is suffering from low food self-sufficiency (barely 40% on calorie basis), a string of food safety scandals and frauds. The occasion of World Food Day on October 16 organised by the FAO is an [...]

080919-cuj-rice-contamination (pdf) September 16, 2008 To: Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Mr. Masuzoe Yoichi Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr. Seiichi Ota From: Food Safety Citizens’ Watch Kamiyama Michiko (Representative) Consumers Union of Japan Tomiyama Yoko (Chairperson) Protest Declaration and Questions “We demand rapid clarification about the current situation, where the government is responsible [...]

We invite you to join the World Foodless Day, an alternative to the UN World Food Day, in defense of people’s food sovereignty, the right to food for all, and land to landless farmers. NGOs in Japan will organise events in Asakusa, old downtown in Tokyo. Go to PAN AP’s website for detailed international information. [...]

Consumers Union of Japan participated in the International Conference on Consumer Policy, held in Tokyo on September 9, 2008. The theme was “The Future of Consumer Policy for a Globalized Society” and over 200 people attended. We were glad to hear Consumer International’s president Samuel Ochieng speak about consumer rights. He also noted the importance of consumer representation [...]