Consumers Concerns about TPP Consumers Union of Japan

Consumers Concerns about TPP Consumers Union of Japan Yasuaki YAMAURA

• Consumers have expressed a number of concerns about TPP • Consumers should have a place at the negotiation table: Why the secrecy? • Consumers rights should be strengthened, not weakened

• 62% of the Japanese people surveyed responded: “If Japan is to participate in TPP negotiations, some of the agricultural products should be excluded from liberalization. ” • (Yomiuri Shinbun, March 2013)

• 68% of Japanese polled responded: “Depending on the outcome of the TPP talks, leaving the negotiation table is an acceptable choice. ” • (Sankei Shinbun, March 2013)

• 71% of Japanese people responded: “The food safety standard might be compromised as a result of entering into TPP talks. ” • (Sankei Shinbun, March 2013)

• Japan’s national food sovereignty should be improved, not weakened. • Hokkaido will reduce the number of farmers by half if all tariffs are lowered to zero, and Hokkaido’s dairy industry would face a projected loss of yen 167 billion. An estimated 56, 000 people working in Japan’s dairy industry would lose their jobs. • The much greater import dependency of Japan will have major impact on food sovereignty and security amongst other rice-producing nations. This is a recipe for social chaos and political instability.

• Japanese consumers have repeatedly protested against transnational corporation taking control of genetic resources. • Seed sovereignty, where locally developed seeds can adapt and mitigate climate change is important both for farmers and consumers. • We demand an end to the patenting of life: TPP should not adopt “TRIPs-plus” rules.

• “TBT-plus” and “SPS-plus” are not in Japanese consumers’ best interests. Instead, we want better food labeling, stricter rules for food additives, agricultural chemicals, and genetically modified organisms (GMO). Allergy labels should not be challenged.

• Extending the terms of copyright in Japan from 50 years to 70 years will make many films, songs, and books more expensive for Japanese consumers.

• Higher fines or more legislative remedies for copyright infringement will not benefit Japanese consumers. Instead, internet freedom and privacy rules should be strengthened. This would safeguard Japanese consumers e-commerce and online activities.

• Investor-state dispute resolution (ISDR) offer no benefits or safeguards to Japanese consumers. • Japan’s legal system should handle disputes in the usual courts, with transparency and civil society participation.

• TPP negotiations have been suspended, because 11 of the participating countries oppose USA. • Japanese and international NGOs have objected to TPP’s secrecy. • The Civil Society represented at the Brunei round consisted of a number of NGOs and community organizations who have very limited resources. To come to a negotiation round and not be able to question Chief Negotiators is a huge disappointment.

Large demonstrations have been held many times in Japan against TPP!

Thank you! • Consumers Union of Japan (CUJ) is a politically and financially independent non-governmental organization (NGO). CUJ is funded by membership fees, sales of its publications and donations. CUJ was founded in April 1969 as Japan's first nationwide grassroots consumer organization. It was officially certified as a non-profit organization on May 1, 2006 by the new Japanese NPO legislation. • Address: Nishi Waseda 1 -9 -19 -207 Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, Japan (169 -0051) E-mail: office. w@nishoren. org Website: www. nishoren. org/en