Shodanren: 46th Annual Consumer Conference

In Japan, consumers organizations have a long history. Most famous are the groups of housewives who reacted angrily at the high and unfair food prices at the black markets just after WW2. They created networks to check prices at the train stations, were food was coming into the cities, and were able to expose the racketeering and get more fair prices. Media loved it and I have a feeling the US occupation also supported their efforts. Other groups created consumer cooperatives to connect farmers to consumers in towns and cities. The Coop trucks are still a popular way for many people to get food and other items delivered to their homes.

Today, I will go and listen to the 46th Annual Consumer Conference, organized by the National Liaison Commitee of Consumer Organizations. Since 1951, Shodanren has been a force for change in Japan. I am particularly interested in the focus on food-related issues, with speakers such as Amagasa Keisuke discussing the challenges to food security from bioenergy, globalization and Free Trade Agreements. Other topics include climate change, tax and pension, and traffic safety.

Shodanren website (Japanese only)