Monthly Archives: November 2022

Japan Resources – 187

Biodiversity, Biotechnology, Chemical pollution, Environment, Japan Resources, Nuclear, Organic Agriculture/Food, , , , , ,

Please click here for our latest English newsletter (pdf):  JR 187

Contents:

From the Editors: It Is All Connected

Report on the Special Forum for the Promotion of Organic School Lunch all over Japan

Growing Movement to Prevent Distribution of Genome-Edited Tomato Seedlings to Elementary Schools and Welfare Facilities

Public Comment: Ban 30 Substances in Pesticides

Press Release: “We Decide What We Eat Ourselves”

In the News: Over 11 years, close to 9 million people sign drive against nuclear power

From the Editors: It Is All Connected

This year ends with COP15 of the UN conference for biological diversity. We hope media will follow it as much as they did the recent COP27 of the UN conference for climate change.

In fact, these two global issues are interconnected and linked in many ways, that also influence us as consumers (and we, as consumers, can – and should – influence).

For example, by increasing the local and organically farmed food served to school children, Japan could go a long way to contribute to both mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity.

Some 3600 people all over the country are ready to make it happen, according to Koa Tasaka’s report from the Special Forum held in Tokyo this fall.

Please stay updated with CUJ’s activities and news on our English website, as well as on our English Twitter account: https://twitter.com/consumerunionjp/

 

 

Open Letter Regarding Genome-edited Fish in Indonesia

Biotechnology, Corporate Responsibility, Environment, Food, , ,

Following the announcement by Regional Fish, a Japanese company that develops and markets genome-edited red sea bream and genome-edited tiger pufferfish, that it will begin a demonstration of genome-edited seafood products in Indonesia, we sent the following letter of inquiry to the company.

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16 November 2022

To:

Regional Fish Co.

Mr. Tadanori Umekawa, President

From:

No! GMO Campaign

Representative Keisuke Amagasa

Consumers Union of Japan

Co-Chairperson: Ado Kameyama

Co-Chairperson Miyoko Sasaki

Co-Chairperson Martin Frid

Open letter of inquiry regarding the demonstration project of genome-edited fishery products in Indonesia

We are a consumer and citizens’ organization working for food safety and security.

In August 2022, your company, together with an Indonesian company PT Aruna Jaya Nuswantara (“ARUNA”), was selected for JETRO’s Asia DX Promotion Project in ASEAN-Japan and announced that it would start a demonstration project for genome-edited marine products in Indonesia with the JETRO grant. Although your company has developed genome-edited red sea bream and genome-edited tiger puffer fish and already marketed them in Japan, we, consumers, have strong concerns about these genome-edited foods and genome-editing technology. As Japanese consumers, we cannot overlook the fact that your company is promoting such genome-edited foods in Indonesia.

Therefore, we ask the following questions. Please respond in writing or by e-mail by 2 December. We will publish your response, including whether or not we have received your answer, on our website and elsewhere.

The following is a list of the questions we will ask:

1. According to your press release dated 26 August 2022, Indonesia is in the process of considering the establishment of rules for genome-edited food products.

2、Please tell us the background of your decision to conduct the demonstration project for genome-edited marine products with ARUNA.

3. According to the above press release, your company is planning to collaborate with Indonesian government agencies and regulatory authorities to develop practical rules. Please provide specific details about this collaboration.

4. According to the same press release, you are aiming to develop high-growth tilapia (Tilapia) and edible portion-increasing snapper (Red Snapper) in a short period of time using genome editing technology. When will these demonstration projects start and what is the current progress of the projects?

5. Where in Indonesia will the demonstration projects be conducted? Please provide the name of the location.

6. Will the demonstration of genome-edited fish be conducted through land-based aquaculture or offshore aquaculture?

7. If land-based aquaculture, which method do you plan to use?

8. Will you conduct biodiversity impact assessments regardless of whether the fish are farmed on land or at sea?

9. Do you intend to sell the genome-edited marine products developed in this project only within Indonesia? Or do you plan to export them to other countries including Japan?

Japanese letter here