1.GM Rice Research & Development in Japan and the Anti-GM Rice Movement
2.The Opposition Movement to GM Rice in Japan
These 2 items relate to 'Asian Action to Stop GM Rice' at the WTO meeting in Hong Kong. This included a protest (December 17, 2005) in Victoria Park at which Mr Amagasa of 'NO! GMO Campaign Japan' was one of the speakers, along with Palash Baral from UBINIG Bangladesh and Angus Lam from Greenpeace China.
You can see the schedule in Hong Kong here:
http://www.aprnet.org/phpEventCalendar/index.php
Item 1 below is Mr Amagasa's speech which details both the amazing successes of the citizens' movement against GM rice in Japan and the difficulties that they have had to face.
EXCERPT FROM SPEECH: In 2001, Monsanto's herbicide resistant GM rice R&D was forced into termination. It was the power of the citizens' movement spread throughout Japan, evolving around the NO! GMO Campaign, which brought the GM rice to a halt. Citizens from all over Japan met twice in July and in November that year in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and gathered more than 580,000 signatures to oppose Monsanto and Aichi's GM rice. On 5 Dec. 2002, at its December Congress in Aichi Prefecture, the head of the Agriculture Department of Aichi announced that the Aichi and Monsanto collaboration project on GM rice would be discontinued. After experiencing this 'Aichi Shock', the targeting of Asian countries by Monsanto for GM rice R&D was aborted.
----
1.GM Rice Research & Development in Japan and the Anti-GM Rice Movement
Keisuke Amagasa
It started with Monsanto abandoning its GM rice. Many field trials of GM rice have been conducted by transnational corporations and also by Japanese research institutes. As for the transnationals, the US-based Monsanto company developed its herbicide glyphosate resistant GM rice varieties for upland cultivation for the purpose of domestic cultivation in the US. The GM rice varieties were approved for cultivation in the US, and the Japanese government also approved them for import and for cultivation. However, they were not approved for either feed or food use in Japan. However, the Monsanto GM rice varieties were for upland cultivation, therefore they were not suitable for the Asian market where rice is cultivated in wet paddy fields. More than 90% of the world's total rice is produced in Asian countries, and over 90% of the total is consumed in Asia. Rice is the staple food crop for the people of Asia, where the rice is mostly cultivated in paddy fields. Therefore Monsanto Japan together with the Aichi Prefecture Agricultural Research Center were involved in developing herbicide resistant GM rice varieties for paddy field cultivation.
In 2001, Monsanto's herbicide resistant GM rice R&D was forced into termination. It was the power of the citizens' movement spread throughout Japan, evolving around the NO! GMO Campaign, which brought the GM rice to a halt. Citizens from all over Japan met twice in July and in November that year in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and gathered more than 580,000 signatures to oppose Monsanto and Aichi's GM rice. On 5 Dec. 2002, at its December Congress in Aichi Prefecture, the head of the Agriculture Department of Aichi announced that the Aichi and Monsanto collaboration project on GM rice would be discontinued. After experiencing this 'Aichi Shock', the targeting of Asian countries by Monsanto for GM rice R&D was aborted.
Other transnationals, besides the US-based Monsanto, that are engaged with GM rice R&D are Swiss-based Syngenta and German-based Bayer CropScience. Syngenta has beaten down others by acquiring the rights to several patents through its rice genome research (unscrambling of rice genetic codes). The company has been developing a GM rice called "Golden Rice", making a vigorous effort for its commercialization. The company once formed a joint venture, Orynova, with Japan Tobacco Inc. in order to develop low gluterin GM rice for sake brewing in Japan, but they decided to end the affiliation as well as the GM rice R&D because they found it too hard to gain acceptance by consumers for the commercialization of such a GM rice.
In the case of Bayer CropScience, it had tried to get approval for its herbicide glufosinate tolerant GM rice, LLRICE, in Japan in the days of Aventis CropScience (AgrEvo). On 7 June 2001, the members of the NO! GMO Campaign staged a protest rally to discourage the application of the GM rice. Subsequently, on 5 Oct. 2001, the Campaign jointly with Stop! GM Rice Coop Network (formed by the Kansai Coop, the Green Coop, and Seikatsu Club Coop) held a protest and forced the company to promise not to apply further for approval of its LLRICE. As described above, it was citizens' power that forced the transnational corporations to stop R&D of GM rice in Japan.
Municipalities and Japanese companies pull out of GM rice
Since the 1980s, research institutes in Japan have been involved with R&D of GM crops. Especially on the field of GM rice, they have been conspicuous both in quality and quantity. From the beginning, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and local municipalities as well as private companies all emphasized GM rice as their main interest for R&D on GM crops. Citizens in Japan have also been actively opposing field trials of GM rice developed by the Japanese research institutes.
Nevertheless, the repercussion effect of the 'Aichi Shock', which brought a halt to Monsanto's GM rice, was huge. Four Japanese companies, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., Japan Tobacco Inc., and Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. that had been involved with developing GM rice varieties all along the line either pulled out or issued withdrawal statements from GM rice R&D. As for the local municipalities, many of them, including Aichi Prefecture, drastically curtailed the R&D budget of GM crops. Among those local municipalities that have conducted GM rice R&D, only Iwate Prefecture's Biotechnology Research Center continued its research on developing a cold resistant GM rice.
On 28 Nov. 2003, citizens from all over Japan gathered in Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture for "NO to GMO National Assembly in Iwate" to oppose GM rice. At the Assembly over 400,000 signatures were heaped up on the stage, and were handed in to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of Iwate Prefecture by a marching demonstration. After receiving the signatures, the Director of the Agriculture Department publicly stated that Iwate had decided to curtail the original two-year plan and abandon its GM rice research within the year. Moreover, the Director also stated that Iwate will not conduct any further outdoor experiments involving GM rice. It was yet another assertion of abandoning GM rice following on from Aichi Prefecture. The private companies pullout, the local municipalities also pullout, and the only ones left are the ex-administrative institutions of Japan. The research institutions of the MAFF, that were turned into independent administrative institutions, have been and are continuing to show an aggressive attitude for involvement with R&D on GM rice.
Establishing municipal bylaws, guidelines and policies
During 2003, there were four different GM rice open air research trials conducted by the research institutions. Apart from the Iwate Prefecture's GM rice already mentioned, the other three were developed by research bodies related to MAFF and all of them are located in Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture. (1) GM rice varieties with genes from maize inserted in order to stimulate photosynthesis, developed by the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), (2) Tryptophan (essential amino acid) high-accumulation GM rice developed by the National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), and (3) Disease tolerant GM rice also developed by NIAS.
(1) The field trial of the high photosynthesis GM rice was conducted at the National Agricultural Research Center for the Hokkaido Region located in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Farmers and consumers in Hokkaido put a great effort into opposing the GM rice trial, holding meetings as well as collecting 400,000 signatures from all over Japan. Through great citizen power, the Hokkaido assembly passed unanimously Japan's first GM crop cultivation regulation bylaw on 24 March 2005. The introduction of this law effectively made it impossible to cultivate GM crops in Hokkaido on a commercial basis, and R&D also become restricted to a certain level.
(2) The open air trail of the Tryptophan high-accumulation GM rice was conducted at a field at NICS in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. Since criticism surrounding GM crops cultivation had also been growing there, on 4 March 2004, a "policy on GM crop cultivation" was adopted at the Tsukuba City council in order to restrict and regulate outdoor cultivation of GM crops. In the policy, it is recommended that the consent of neighbouring farming households be sought as well as demanding prevention of cross contamination by GM crops to conventional crops. As Tsukuba City, where many research institutions are located, is now the centre of GM crop R&D in Japan, there was strong opposition from researchers there to the notion of restriction of GM crop cultivation, and therefore only a weak policy rather than a bylaw or guidelines could be made. In addition, the policy does not cover field trials, therefore cultivation of GM crops for the purposes of research will be able to continue.
(3) Disease tolerant GM rice was cultivated at the National Agricultural Research Center for the Western Region in Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture (on Shikoku island). The field trials of this GM rice were conducted for three years from 2001, for the purpose of environmental impact assessment as contract research for the MAFF, not for developing GM rice for food use. However, the citizens in Tokushima Prefecture, the neighbouring prefecture of Kagawa Prefecture, stood up and opposed this field trial. As a result, Tokushima Prefecture decided to establish its own guidelines for regulating GM crops cultivation in 2005.
Direct confrontations of research institutions by farmers and consumers
Since the domestic Cartagena Law (Law Concerning the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity through Regulations on the Use of Living Modified Organisms) took effect in February 2004, an assessment of the impact on wild fauna and flora became an obligation, and new circumstances have emerged because of this. In accordance with the law, GM crop field trials for investigating ecological impact have began in several locations in Japan. Also with respect to the enforcement of the law, the MAFF introduced guidelines concerning open field trails, which include establishing buffer zones from surrounding cultivated lands as well as disclosure of information in an attempt to solicit public understanding, and therefore public briefings have been held in various regions. At the briefings, intensive debate has occurred over GM crop cultivation between the industry and the researchers on one side and local residents, consumers and farmers on the other.
At some of these briefings the actual person responsible for the planning of the experiment was not able to answer the questions raised by the participants. This resulted, in April 2004, in one of the planned GM potato trials on the University of Tokyo's farmland in West Tokyo being called off by the research director himself. Moreover, planned cultivations of Syngenta's insecticide GM maize and DuPont's herbicide resistant and insecticide GM maize at the Japan Association for Advancement of Phyto-regulators (JAPR) field in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture were also called off after a briefing in May 2004 that ran into complications when the Association tried to get away with an aggressive approach and facile explanations. Participants were extremely dissatisfied with the Association's attitude and a planned second briefing never happened.
A "cedar pollen allergenic GM rice," developed by the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), was planned to be cultivated at JA-Zennoh (the Japanese National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations) agricultural technical centre in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, but its briefing also ran into trouble. The Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture called for restraint in open field trials and JA-Zennoh voluntarily announced on 26 May 2004 that it would call off the outdoor experiment, and instead would only cultivate the GM rice in a hothouse. After some meetings with NO! GMO Campaign, the JA-Zennoh committed itself to withdrawal from GM rice within two years. However, the developer, NIAS, did not soften its stance at all and is insistent on continuing the R&D on GM rice.
R&D continues
In 2005, field trials for varieties of "iron-deficiency tolerant GM rice" began at Tohoku University's farm field in Miyagi Prefecture. This GM rice was developed by the University of Tokyo to make GM rice tolerant to low iron availability in alkaline soils. The purpose is to market the GM rice to developing countries. In order to oppose outdoor trials of the GM rice, the GMO Free Zone Tohoku Network was established in the Tohoku region (the northeastern region of Japan).
Furthermore, open-air research on "erect-leaved semi-dwarf GM rice" and "semi-dwarf GM rice" continued from 2004. These were also developed by NIAS, for making them tip-resistant. Additionally, the previously cancelled "cedar pollen allergenic GM rice" was also cultivated in open-air fields in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, instead of the previous location in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa. All of these varieties were cultivated in a new research field facility at NIAS in Tsukuba City.
Moreover, in one of the foremost rice-producing areas in Japan, Joetsu City in Niigata Prefecture, the Hokuriku Research Center's "rice blast and white leaf blight resistant GM rice" (a.k.a. defensin-producing GM rice) field trial was conducted at the Center's own isolated field. Although local farmers, the municipality and consumers strongly opposed the field trial, the cultivation was conducted without the acceptance of citizens. A provisional deposition was filed on 24 June 2005, with a demand to halt the open-air trial, however the case was dismissed both at the district court and the high court. Nevertheless, a citizens gathering was held on 22 November 2005 in Niigata City, and about 300,000 signatures were delivered to Niigata Prefecture. Thereafter, the prefecture took steps towards working on an ordinance to regulate GM crop cultivation following the Hokkaido model.
The citizens movement against GM rice in Japan has achieved great results, yet the pro-GM rice side is not standing by quietly. In 2005, the above-mentioned 5 varieties of GM rice were cultivated in open-air field trials in three different locations. NIAS commenced testing on "multiple herbicide resistant GM rice" in which a gene from human liver is inserted. This gene produces an enzyme "CPY2B6" which decomposes chemical substances in the human body. The idea is that since this GM rice is tolerant to different herbicides, it might reduce dependence on a single certain herbicide, as compared to the currently marketed GM crops that are only tolerant to a single particular herbicide. But scientists have been warning that this GM rice might lead to the risk of multiple herbicide resistant super-weed break-outs. Likewise, the NIAS is also developing a "co-enzyme Q10 GM rice" in an attempt to gain some consumer acceptance. These independent administrative institutions are continuing their GM rice R&D unabated, and the Japanese government continues to allocate substantial amounts of the national budget to them.
Table 1: Status of development of GM rice varieties in Japan and developer
(1) GM rice outdoor trials conducted in 2005
Isolated field
- Cedar pollen allergenic GM rice (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences - NIAS)
- Rice blast and white leaf blight resistant GM rice (NARC, NARO, Hokuriku Research Center)
- Iron-deficiency tolerant GM rice (University of Tokyo)
General farmland
- Erect-leaved semi-dwarf GM rice (NIAS)
- Semi-dwarf GM rice (NIAS)
(2) Main GM rice varieties for which outdoor trials were conducted up 2004, but have ended
- Herbicide resistant GM rice (Monsanto)
- Tryptophan high-accumulation GM rice (National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization National Institute of Crop Science - NICS)
- High-photosynthesis GM rice (NIAS)
(3) Main GM rice varieties currently in development
- Co-enzyme Q10 GM rice (NIAS)
- Multiple herbicide resistant GM rice (NIAS)
---
2.The Opposition Movement to GM Rice in Japan
The No! GMO Campaign lodged a protest with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan against the International Year of Rice, and this year again, the Campaign did so after non-approved GM rice was found to be cultivated and distributed in China.
In the course of the 6th Ministerial Meeting of WTO in Hong Kong, we would like to make sure that we share the determination against GMOs with Asian people, and to exchange information about what we should do to promote food safety and food sovereignty. We really hope that you will come to our workshop.
History of Japanese opposition movement to GMOs
The anti-GMO movement started in Japan in the early 1990's, driven by the Consumers Union of Japan (CUJ).
Japan began to import GM crops from the U.S.A. and Canada at the end of 1996.
In November 1996, the "No! GMO Campaign" was launched, organized by the CUJ together with other organizations.
No! GMO Campaign appeals about GM food: We don't need, don't eat, don't farm it. No! GMO Campaign appeals to Farmers not to plant GM crops.
No GM crops have been planted and harvested commercially in Japan All private Japanese companies and all local governments have withdrawn from GM food crop development
The Campaign has been actively fighting to prevent the domestic cultivation of GM crops, as well as to put a stop to the development of GM rice varieties.
It has succeeded in halting one after another the development of GM rice conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF), local governments, and private companies. Especially successful was the campaign to halt Monsanto's GM rice development, which the company intended to use to promote its GM rice into the Asian market. In 2001, Aichi Prefecture�@and Monsanto stopped cultivation trials of GM rice after a petition signed by over 580,000 consumers and farmers was delivered to Aichi prefectural government.
In 2003, more than 400,000 individuals signed the petition against the field trial of GM rice in Iwate.
Also in Hokkaido, strong opposition from local citizens supported by people all over Japan paved the way to the formulation of the by-law to regulate GM planting.
In 2003 and 2005, the No! GMO Campaign invited Percy Schmeiser from Canada to draw people's attention to the environmental risks of GMOs.
GM crop cultivation regulation bill passes Hokkaido assembly. The introduction of this law will effectively make it impossible to cultivate GM crops in Hokkaido on a commercial basis, and R&D will also be subject to a certain amount of regulation. Iwate and Shiga Prefectures introduced guidelines. The commercial planting of GM crops has become impossible in these areas.
At the moment, there are ongoing GM trials in Hokkaido, Tohoku University and Niigata Prefecture, however, there is growing protest against them both at a local and at a national level. As a result, people in Niigata Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Tsukuba City, Tokyo, Tokushima Prefecture and other areas are working to formulate a guideline to regulate GMOs and the GMO Free Zone Campaign, which was launched by rice farmers in Shiga Prefecture in January 2005, is growing rapidly. There are 4557.29ha of GMO free zones in total in 93 places (as of 17 November).
Table 1) Status of development of GM rice (Developer)
2004: Outdoor trials completed
- Tryptophan high-accumulation GM rice (National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization National Institute of Crop Science - NICS)
- High-photosynthesis GM rice (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences - NIAS)
2005: Outdoor trials being conducted
- Cedar pollen allergenic GM rice (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences - NIAS)
- Rice blast and white leaf blight resistant GM rice containing anti-bacterial protein from mustard (Hokuriku Research Center)
- Iron-deficiency tolerant GM rice (Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) * field trial being conducted at Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tohoku University.
- Erect-leaved semi-dwarf GM rice (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences - NIAS)
- Semi-dwarf GM rice (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences - NIAS)
2007: Outdoor trials planned
- Psychrotolerant GM rice (National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region - NARCH)
Keisuke Amagasa (Mr)
Masako Koga (Ms)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NO! GMO Campaign
75-2F, Wasedamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0042 Japan
TEL: +81-3-5155-4756 FAX: +81-3-5155-4767
http://www.no-gmo.org/