(Asahi: November 7, 2015 – p. 6)

 The Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA Zenchu), the national federation of agricultural cooperatives, submitted its demands for TPP measures to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Nov. 6. It came up with a total of 51 proposals relating to assistance to farmers who will be seriously affected by the abolition of tariffs, increasing production efficiency, and so forth. JA Zenchu is demanding allocations in the FY2015 supplementary budget and the regular budgets from FY2016.

 Specific proposals include financial aid for training new farmers and assistance for further aggregation of paddy fields and orchards. JA Zenchu also asked for policies to require place-of-origin labeling for processed food, in order to promote the use of Japanese food products, and increase Japanese dishes in school lunches.

 The proposals also include greater income support for farmers expected to face hardships as a result of tariff abolition or reduction after the TPP agreement takes effect, as well as a demand for the government to increase its procurement of rice reserves, in order to prevent further decline in rice prices.