Monthly Archives: February 2009

What Caused the Food Price Hikes During 2008?

Here is the presentation made by Yasuaki YAMAURA, Secretary General of Consumers Union of Japan (CUJ), as one of the programs at the World Foodless Day in Tokyo on October 16, 2008.

The Present Situation of the Food Crisis

yamaura_yasuaki_cuj 

In April 2008, rice prices started to increase rapidly in the Philippines and several parts of Asia. This induced hoarding and export restrictions of grains, which in turn led to even higher grain prices around the world. There were food riots happening in a number of countries.

This also affected Japan, as increasing general food prices hit Japanese consumers hard. In addition, we experienced the problem of frozen gyoza made in China, contaminated by a very toxic insecticide. On top of that, there was a scandal of wrongfully distributed pesticide-tainted or moldy rice for human consumption, and melamine-contaminated milk products produced from imported milk. Such events caused deep anxiety among many consumers.

Continue reading What Caused the Food Price Hikes During 2008?

Japan Resources No 146

cuj-jr-146 (pdf) Japan Resources No 146

Cold and sunny in Tokyo today – it is February and we are pleased to publish our latest issue of Japan Resources. Read about how Genetically Modified foods are accelerating the global food crisis, our concerns about antimicrobial resistance, and more. Please download the pdf file. – Editors

Contents:

  • Avon Awards To Women for Kamiyama Michiko, FSCW
  • Keisuke Amagasa: How genetically modified foods are accelerating the food crisis
  • Demands to the Japanese government on the Codex guideline on antimicrobial resistance
  • Illegal financial activities of the UNIC
  • Letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Avon Awards to Women for Kamiyama Michiko, FSCW

Kamiyama Michiko (r) receives Avon Award
Kamiyama Michiko (r) Receives Avon Award

 
Mrs. Kamiyama Michiko from Food Safety Citizens’ Watch was one of the recipients of the Avon Awards to Women in 2008. The prestigious prize has been awarded since 1979 to opinion leaders, welfare activists, volunteers, scientists, politicians and writers.

Mrs. Kamiyama was awarded the Avon Prize for 30 years of activities connected with food safety. Food Safety Citizens’ Watch was established in April 2003 as a network of experts to monitor developments and make proposals to the government regarding food safety issues from the citizen’s point of view.

Website (Japanese): 食の安全・監視市民委員会