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- Currently, we understand that GM free canola is being supplied to Japan by Australia and France. We strongly request your country to continue producing GM free agricultural products, now and forever.
Consumers Union of Japan
CUJ
Nikken Building, 75 Waseda-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0042 JAPAN
Tel: (81)-3-5155-4765 Fax: (81)-3-5155-4767 E-mail: "mailto:nishoren@jca.apc.org"
Hon Warren Truss
Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
2005-05-27
Dear Minister,
We, Japanese consumers, are seriously concerned about GM canola growing in and around Japanese ports. This herbicide resistant GM canola has spread as a result of spillage from imported Canadian canola seed.
According to the Japanese government’s survey as well as citizens groups’ investigations, 8 out of 10 ports, where canola from Canada is imported, were found to be contaminated by GM canola.
We are worried that if this continues, it will have potential impact on biodiversity as well as on the eco-system in Japan. It is also a threat to our agriculture and food culture. We eat many varieties of Brassica, the related plants of canola, that Japanese farmers grow. Examples from our traditional diet include natane (canola), different types of
cabbages, daikon radish, and turnip.
At this moment, we do not know how far GM canola contamination has spread. Spilled GM canola may already have begun to grow wild, and may have crossed with related crops growing nearby. Moreover, there is a danger that the GM canola contamination may continue to cross from one generation to another. We support farmers who are seriously concerned about this GM canola contamination.
There are several local citizens’ groups that have been active in finding and pulling up the GM canola, in order to prevent this GM canola from growing and spreading any further.
As long as the importation and transportation of GM canola continues, the contamination of our food supply will be repeated. Japan, as you may be aware, imports approximately 2 million metric tons of canola seed each year, mainly for use as cooking oil, animal feed and fertilizer.
Therefore, we, Japanese consumers, think it is clear that importing GM free canola is essential in order to prevent such GM contamination.
According to the import data from 2003, Japan imported 80 % of the canola from Canada (1.6 million metric tons), while Australia supplied 17 % (0.34 million metric tons) and France supplied 3 % (0.06 million metric tons).
On May 24, 2005 we presented a letter to the Canadian government to highlight these problems regarding GM canola from Canada, and demanded that they should start to supply only GM free canola to Japan.
Currently, we understand that GM free canola is being supplied to Japan by Australia and France. We strongly request your country to continue producing GM free agricultural products, now and forever.
Sincerely,
Yoko Tomiyama
Chairperson
Consumers Union of Japan
Address:
Nikken Building, 75 Waseda-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0042 Japan
Tel: +81-3-5155-4765
Fax: +81-3-5155-4767
Email: "mailto:nishoren@jca.apc.org"
Co-signed by 21 organizations:
No! GMO Campaign, GM Rice Watch Center Japan, Citizens’ Biotechnology Information Center, Stop-GM Seeds Network Japan, Anti GM Rice Farmers Network, Iwate GM Rice Watch Network, Safety Foods Network, Teikei Rice Network, Pasteurized Milk Consumers in Hyogo, Food Policy Center Vision21, Japan Organic Agriculture Association, Kurashi-o Tagayasu Kai, Network for Organic Agriculture Promotion in Chiba, Aichi Co-op, Consumers' Co-operative Toshi Seikatsu, Consumer’s Co-operative S Co-op Osaka, Consumer’s Co-operative Union Kirari, Green Consumers Co-operative Union, The Association to Preserve the Earth, Wappa, Yotsuba Home Delivery Keiji
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