Kurashi - News From Japan

Just published is the 83rd issue of KJ, as it is known among fans. I have some old print issues that I hope will become really valuable at some point (just kidding) from when I first lived in Japan 1988-1993. This time, KJ is all digital, the topic is food, and what could be more timely? Japan, Asia and the world face a number of huge challenges, including food safety, food security, seed/genetic/biodiversity concerns, not to speak of water and agro-chemical/fertilizer related concerns. Climate change is already causing havoc. Fuel? It will not stay cheap forever, and then how do we keep supermarkets and convenience stores up-to-the-last-minute with the latest "fresh" goods? Fertilizers? Not up for grabs forever, either. Add to that land ownership legal battles, and the fact that in many places, farmers are aging and not enough young people are prepared to take over. Plus trade related issues like WTO/TPP and a "spaghetti bowl" of bilateral trade agreements ...

I went to the large demonstration today at Hibiya in central Tokyo and in the warm, sunny weather, some 10,000 people showed up for the parade to surround the Parliament Building (Diet) - Japan's Palace of Westminster or Capitol Hill... Update : Kyodo (J) has the number of participants today as 14,000. The event was also billed as the "Democracy Convention 2015" in English. If you have ever been to a large demonstration elsewhere, prepare yourself for the utter control here in Japan. Police and riot vans are everywhere, but as long as things go smoothly, like today, you can bring your baby stroller and your grandma... The organizers are committed to peaceful protests and so be it. But, that may not be the way Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency sees things, according to Eric Johnston in The Japan Times: Security blanket: Should Japan beef up its anti-terrorism measures? Great coalition of hundreds of groups for solidarity with Okinawa an...

Wow, the words "ethical" and "bank" in the same sentence? A new campaign has been launched to try to make that happen: Some banks and pension funds have rules about what kind of companies they invest in. For example, ethical investment means the funds do not support companies involved in weapons manufacturing or environmental destruction. Human rights and labour rights are other issues that many people should urge their banks to support. Since starting in 2009, a Dutch initiative has grown into an international campaign, Fair Finance Guide. Now, Japan also joins this great project, started by A Seed Japan, JACSES and PARC. They have carefully investigated five of Japan’s largest banks. Their new website ( http://fairfinance.jp )* will help you compare their score on a range of issues. For example, Mizuho Bank scores relatively high on transparency, but low on environmental issues like forestry protection. All five get “Zero” for their investments ...

How will the EU deal with Greece? South vs. North narrative? Not really. More like people vs. banks. It is happening in Japan as well, esp. in Okinawa, Fukushima, Hokkaido. Rural vs. you name it - city? Hardly. Nagoya has its Toyota factories but is hardly enjoying the prosperity, in spite of the record-breaking 14+ million car sales. Detroit knows about that. London, well, it has tried immigration, will Tokyo follow? Again, hardly. Speaking of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga is the name to remember. Ryukyu Shimpo: Okinawa Governor conveys his opposition to new US base January 15, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo On January 14, after cabinet approved the fiscal 2015 promotional budget for Okinawa, Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga visited the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office. At his meeting with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita, the governor conveyed his opposition to the government’s plan to move U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futema in Ginowan to Henoko, Nago, and said he ...

We got the following op-ed published in Japan’s Asahi Shimbun this week, co-signed by Ralph Nader from Public Citizen and Koa Tasaka from Consumers Union of Japan . It was written in response to an editorial column that made unsubstantiated claims about TPP and consumers. In its September 08, 2014 editorial, Asahi Shimbun argued that “Japan, U.S. should consider consumers, not industries, in reaching TPP deal.” As consumer movement leaders in the U.S. and Japan, we agree that it is crucial that both countries prioritize consumer interests. However, we strongly disagree with the editorial’s unsupported assumption that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as it is currently being negotiated would benefit consumers. What is important to consumers? Healthy and safe food. Banking and insurance services that protect their financial well-being. Affordable medicines and health care. Access to an open Internet and privacy protections. A clean environment. From what we know...

September 1 each year is a day when Japan remembers its many earthquakes and other emergencies. Events are held to train people how to use fire extinguishers and other equipment. This year, before that date, the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry mentioned that as a general precaution, households ought to stock up on, say 15 rolls of toilet paper rolls per month, in advance. Not a very unreasonable piece of advice. Without mentioning the focus on September 1, many foreign news media carried all kinds of headlines about this. Be that as it may. Expecting young journalists to understand Japan is like - well - it's the old hands I'm more worried about. Also, back in 1973, scare stories in Japanese media about people buying two years worth of the rolls triggered others to hoard as well. Media bears a huge responsibility in times like these. Reports about any event of mass buying will of course encourage others to engage in - mass buying. They know that back during th...

What's the name of that children's game, where you get to hit one thing after another, and another one after the other pops up, and it is the same thing over and over? Same thing with TPP, the trade pact that seems to have no benefits at all, yet the economists and free market liberals and people in charge (who will no doubt profit from it since they own the right stock and have all the connections for future cushy jobs, aka revolving door or amakudari, with variations). Round after round of negotiations with little or no result. I went to the Brunei Round last year, and here we are, more smoke screens on the foggy radar (forgive mixed images). Ahem. Met a friend today, he just got married. Has his own issues, but loves nature and farming and has recently moved to an organic scheme near Tokyo, and he is getting a lot of attention. Young and handsome and generally genki. And even he said he was worried about TPP. "How can we farm if all these cheap foods are impor...

This is such an epic story of the early 1970s, back when the Cold War was seriously on. Sweden was supporting Vietnam, and - hey, why not North Korea as well? There was a trade fair in Pyongyang and Volvo, Atlas Copco and Kockums participated (Atlas Copco for the minerals that now China are eying, but that is another story, Kockums from Malmö, for ship building, I suppose...) Somehow, North Korea managed to manipulate the Swedish government and its foreign trade body to supply some 1,000 green Volvo 144 Sedans. With leather seats. Oh, I remember those, they were considered large by usual Swedish standards back when I was a child in the 1970s. As I have noted earlier on Kurashi, we had a Renault 4 no more no less, until father caught on and got a Toyota Starlet in 1981. Volvo? That was for more affluent neighbors. The Volvo 144 Sedan was - luxury. And that is the very car Sweden decided to export to North Korea. And North Korea decided not to pay. Turns out, they are still around....

Most of the news about the weekend's vote in Europe has dealt with issues that I don't care so much about, such as immigration. But Bellona notes that: The European Parliament has a record of being the most ambitious EU institution within the fields of climate change and energy. Earlier this year, it passed a resolution on the policy framework for 2030, where its views on the European Commission’s proposal were presented. The members of the European Parliament voted for a 30 % share for renewables in the energy market and a 40 % improvement in energy efficiency, thereby taking a considerably more determined stance than the Commission. Bellona hopes that the new European Parliament will continue to be at the forefront of the global response to climate change and steer the EU towards a low-carbon society. I have also noticed in conversations with people that a) they don't know that Japan is the world's third largest economy b) they are not aware that a...

Roger Dahl in Seattle has some of the best cartoons about Japanese politics. Absurdities, indeed. If I have to spell it out, well, the current Abe government seems more interested in military might ("collective defense") and Constitutional reform and helping large corporations enter the arms export market, than in protecting farmers and the people who are already under pressure from cheap imports of food, and all of that, from TPP and other free trade agreements, that Abe seems to imagine will - do what to Japan? Thus the "plowshares" joke... But you long-suffering Kurashi readers all got that, right?

Prime Minister Abe has been busy with all kinds of arrows to promote Japan and its economy. One was the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, a deal that no one seemed to be able to define, and who would benefit? At least here in Japan, it was never made clear. The latest round of negotiations that I have been following - in Singapore - ended without a deal. That is Abe's man in Singapore, with his headphones on, and everyone seems to be having a laugh. Reuters says: UPDATE 2-No end in sight yet for Trans-Pacific trade pact Sticking points over intellectual property and the rules for state-owned enterprises and government procurement are also proving difficult. "If you ask whether all outstanding issues have been resolved, it is also a common recognition that they still remain," Japan's Economics Minister Akira Amari said ahead of the final part of the talks. Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Minister, Mustapa Mohamed, said part...

We all like to compare, and here is how Bloomberg got Japan at 4th place among the world's most innovative countries. 4. Japan Japan ranked fourth in Bloomberg's Global Innovation Index. Here is how the country ranked in the determining factors: R&D intensity: 5th Productivity: 14th High-tech density: 8th Researcher concentration: 9th Manufacturing capability: 6th Tertiary efficiency: 30th Patent activity: 3rd I would be much more impressed if Bloomberg added an energy capability to its index. And why not other factors related to environmental protection? We all held our breaths, and sorry to say, Toyota once again is the world's number one car manufacturer . Too bad, I would say, as Japan has no idea how to supply the gasoline to promote a car-owning culture. I know, they are awfully fuel efficient and they do the Prius and all of that, but come on, we are facing a future with massive emissions of carbon dioxide, and other man-made gasses a...

So much going on here with all kinds of farmers markets and marche events and promotions for islands and local fairs... Atenna shops too a great way to make your local foods known in the big cities. Add to that parties and invitation-only deals. I like it a lot. My Kodansha 2009 book was all about making it obvious that Japan has to celebrate its culinary roots. Be that seasonal - in January I love the decopon citrus, as well as other green veggies and fruits and berries that we can only enjoy around this cold season. Top image from Nagiru I think we will see more and more of independent markets, in 2014. It is happening in Osaka , too. And in Beijing !! The Beijing Farmers’ Market began life as a foreign-inspired fad run by a small group of expatriate artists but, three years on, it has become one of Beijing’s premier foodie paradises, where dozens of farmers, cheese makers and other self-professed “artisans” enjoy a thriving trade every weekend. I hope more ...

There is a Japanese expression that I was reminded of at the beginning of the year, which I liked. 傍目八目 or 岡目八目 (oka-me-hachi-moku) My dictionaries give me "Bystander's vantage point" or something related to watching a game of go, and as such, it is much easier to see the game unfolding some eight steps ahead, as it where. "Observing objectively" comes some way to explain the expression, although that is neither here nor there. I blog here at Kurashi with some ideas of what I like and what I do not like. I am obviously just a bystander, but after some time in Japan, I am also a player. I do wish the best to all people, and try to put my finger on what are the right steps to take, as we all plod ahead. So when I see news that Japan is about to enter a trade agreement that gives no regard to this country's amazing agricultural heritage, just for a few people to export more cars, and whatever, I find that so shortsighted. When I see the mass media pla...

What you wear tells a lot about you. Fashion is such a fad. Much like what you prefer to eat or drink. Recently, we had all kinds of bad news about how our garments are produced. More about that below. First the good news. I'm encouraged that there is a trend to grow organic cotton, and use no pesticides and no genetically modified (patented) seeds from multinational corporations with a dark history, like Monsanto or DuPont or BASF, or Bayer. We know what they can do to our planet when it comes to food, now ask what they are doing to fiber. Be that as it may, here in Japan there is a vibrant movement for organic cotton. Tohoku Cotton Project is doing this: To connect your everyday life with the disaster areas and to create a continuous support system that is not a heavy burden -- That's our promise. Music : Takeshi Kobayashi Movie : Kensaku Kakimoto Photo : Yukihide Nakano Translation Volunteer : Kei Hamada Yup, cotton is grown here in Japan, in spite of all the o...