(Yomiuri: October 21, 2015 – p. 4)    The government praises the content of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which it unveiled on October 20, for staying “in line with national interest.” But the pact will eliminate tariffs on about 30% of items in the key five farm products that the ruling and opposition forces had sought to protect. Concerns are….Read more

(Yomiuri: October 21, 2015 – p. 9)    Japan will ultimately eliminate tariffs on 1,885 of a total of 2,328 agricultural products (81.0%) under the TPP. While the ratio of tariffs retained is much higher than other TPP nations, it is still inevitable that the TPP will have an impact on domestic agriculture. Japan has entered a critical stage that….Read more

(Yomiuri: October 20, 2015 – p. 9)    Following the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, the government is considering a new program that will collect fees from farmers to promote consumption and exports of domestic produce. In the U.S., the system is widespread as a tool to enhance the competitiveness of local producers. The question is whether the system….Read more

(Nikkei: October 18, 2015 – p. 3)    The government is considering increasing subsidies to farmers leasing their land to the “farmland bank,” a body for the aggregation of farmland. At present, farmers cooperating with this program are paid up to 700,000 yen in subsidies. Another subsidy will also be created for the realignment of flour mills and sugar refineries,….Read more

(Nikkei: October 16, 2015 – p. 18)    Beef prices, including those of U.S. imports, are set to drop under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Japan imports 60% of its beef, and consumers will benefit if prices go down. Farmers, however, are concerned that domestic beef prices will be swept up with that trend and be pulled down as well.….Read more

(Sankei: October 15, 2015 – p. 5)    On Oct. 14 the ruling Liberal Democratic Party began coordination for appointing Shinjiro Koizumi, former parliamentary vice-minister for reconstruction, director of the LDP’s Agriculture and Forestry Division, which discusses measures for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact, on which a broad agreement has been reached. This was disclosed by several senior….Read more

(Mainichi: October 14, 2015 – p. 10)    By Hitoshi Suzuki, Hokkaido Bureau reporter in the Obihiro area    Japan’s agriculture is expected to face tariff reductions and an increase in cheap imported agricultural products in the future in light of the TPP talks reaching a basic agreement. It goes without saying that domestic farmers are closely watching what measures….Read more

(Yomiuri: October 10, 2015 – p. 8)    TPP Minister Akira Amari, who has been retained in the third Abe cabinet, gave an interview to Yomiuri Shimbun and other media outlets on Oct. 9. Amari, who was instrumental in reaching the basic TPP agreement, emphasized the importance of “strong agriculture” that can motivate young people.  Agriculture is a growth industry….Read more

(Sankei: October 10, 2015 – p. 9)    Q: Tariffs on many agricultural products will be abolished or reduced under the TPP agreement. What will be the impact of this?    Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Hiroshi Moriyama: There will be a certain extent of impact. However, take the case of Unshu tangerines, there is no evidence that imports….Read more

(Sentaku: October 2015 – p. 11)    Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense Masanori Nishi will retire in October, succeeded by Tetsuro Kuroe, director-general of defense policy bureau. But a personnel change announced prior to this is sending shockwaves through the ministry.    Nobuki Kawamura, deputy director-general of Equipment Procurement and Construction Office and close aide to former Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense….Read more