News from Japan

Radiation affects 8 percent territory More than 30,000 square kilometers of Japan’s surface, or about 8 percent, has been contaminated by radioactive substances following the nuclear... New radiation scare for rice in Japan Japanese authorities have halted the shipment of rice from some farms northwest of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after finding higher-than... Japan free trade move criticized Japan’s prime minister hoped for praise at the weekend summit of Asian-Pacific leaders here for his bold pledge to join a U.S.-led free-trade pa... Japan to join trade talks despite farm fears The Japanese government is expected to decide on Thursday to join negotiations for a Pacific free trade agreement to boost the country’s sluggis... A Free-Trade Plan to Save Japan Yoshihiko Noda, selected to lead the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) only two months ago, already is contemplating a bold move. Japan farmers urge free trade to spur change Like other farmers on this fertile, coastal plain in northeast Japan, where patchwork rice fields stretch to the mountains beyond... Japan to continue agricultural aid Japan would continue to help Viet Nam develop a multi-functional agricultural model as part of the Enhancing Functions of Agricultural Co-operative in... Japan offers plan to boost farm sector Japan’s government Thursday outlined a basic policy to revitalize the country’s agricultural sector, which stands to lose the most from a ... Japan to relax restrictions on US beef Japan is preparing to ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports as concerns about mad cow disease receded and domestic cattle production fell after the n... Japan eyes local coffee The Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ), a group that raises awareness and deepens understanding of coffee among consumers and growers... Japan seeks new rice source Japanese consumers typically prefer fresh, home-grown rice, but that isn’t true this year. NZ condemns Japans whaling decision Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says Japan is isolating itself from the international community with its decision to resume whaling in the Sou... Japan to continue Antarctic whaling Japan will go ahead with its annual whale hunt in Antarctica while boosting security to guard against possible harassment by environmental protesters.... Support for Japanese PM is down Support for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda fell 8.2 percentage points as the new premier faces continuing political divisions and the difficul... Japan ban threatens Australian blueberry farmers Australian blueberry farmers stand to lose out as supermarkets are expected to stock larger quantities of high quality fruit at lower prices. Offshore wind farm to be built near Fukushima The Japanese government has plans to build an off-shore floating wind farm near Fukushima, thus seeking to reduce its dependence on nuclear power and ... Japan ruling party plans more taxes Japan’s ruling party proposed a 9.2 trillion yen ($120 billion) temporary tax increase and selling the government’s stake in Japan Tobacco... Cloud hangs over Japan's mushroom farmers The continuing crisis at Japan’s Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant has affected this year’s autumn culinary delicacies in Fukushima Prefe... Japan govt may reduce stake in Japan Tobacco The Japanese government will pursue legislation that will let it sell part of its stake in Japan Tobacco Inc... Govt to give subsidies to expand farmland The agriculture ministry has been considering providing subsidies to farmers who sell or lend their land to young farmers trying to expand their opera... Japan plans floating wind power for Fukushima Japan will join the race to develop floating wind turbines to use in deepwater off its tsunami-stricken northern Pacific coast as it rethinks energy s... Fukushima families fear radiation effects Tens of thousands of residents left the Fukushima prefecture in the wake of the nuclear crisis as they feared the health effects of radiation, local o... First Fukushima rice batch shipped after passing tests ‎ A rice farmer in Koriyama on Monday became the first grower of the year to start shipping his crop from Fukushima Prefecture after the local governmen... Japan Premier resigns after quake backlash Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he’s resigning 14 months into the job, undone by a backlash over his leadership after the March 11 e... Farmers apply for government help No livestock farmers in the four prefectures worst hit by the March disaster have applied for a government aid program to help them resume operating..... Fukushima govt seeks lifting of cattle ban The Fukushima prefectural government on Monday called on the central government to lift its ban on cattle shipments from the prefecture... Rice futures must enhance farming efficiency Effective use of rice futures could help stabilize agricultural management and improve the transparency of the rice pricing system. We hope rice futur... Japan battles to restore food safety confidence With their sharply trained eyes, Tokyo’s jovial beef traders can instantly judge the quality of the country’s premium wagyu beef from a ga... Japan rice futures soar on nuclear fears Japan started trading rice futures Monday but suspended the market after the price of the staple grain soared on fears that radioactive contamination ... Japan's radiation scare to hit beef output Japan’s widening ban on cattle shipments after the discovery of radiation-contaminated feed will reduce domestic beef output in the short term, ... Miyagi beef cattle shipments banned The Japanese government has banned shipments of beef cattle from another prefecture in the country’s nuclear crisis-hit northeast region. Japan cattle ship halt expands Japan plans to expand its ban on beef cattle shipments to include Miyagi prefecture after finding radiation levels exceeding safety standards in some ... Are worries over meat warranted? About 1,500 cows that were fed hay containing radioactive cesium in excess of the government limit were found to have been shipped from Fukushima and ... State to buy all radioactive beef The government will buy up all beef found to contain radioactive cesium at levels exceeding the allowable limit, and incinerate it, a senior farm mini... Problem with radioactive cattle gets bigger Japan’s government said the number of cattle fed with hay contaminated by radiation has doubled, two days after shipments of beef from cows rais... Fukushima cattle shipments banned The government’s nuclear disaster task force said Friday that shipments of beef cattle from Fukushima Prefecture will be suspended, amid concern... N-crisis hits Fukushima cherry farmers As the shipping of brand cherries produced in open fields in Fukushima Prefecture reaches its peak, farmers are being hit hard by sharp drops in sales... Poultry exports to Japan to be increased Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, Nantawan Sakuntanak disclosed that International Trade Promotion Office in Japan had reporte... Japan's farmers plough on Japanese authorities are extending the evacuation zone around the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in a move that has implications for thousands... Japanese plan new strategy for Fukushima Japanese officials are readying a new approach to cooling reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant... Farmers rally at Tepco head office in Tokyo Angry farmers brought two cows to Tokyo yesterday, shouting and punching the air to demand compensation for products contaminated by radiation from th... Farmers protest against Japanese nuke plant Angry farmers brought two cows to Tokyo where they shouted and punched the air Tuesday in a protest to demand compensation for products contaminated b... Japanese farmers linger in uncertainty Cherry blossom season in Japan signals the start of the planting of rice and other produce. But the earthquake and subsequent radioactive leak from th... Japanese farmers dump milk over radiation fears Dairy farmers near Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant are struggling to cope with their own disaster. Red meat industry shows support in Japan The Australian red meat industry has initiated many activities to throw its support behind Japan... Cattle farmer stressed over cows in Fukushima A cattle farmer here is suffering from tremendous stress amid mounting concerns over the impact of radiation leaks from the quake- and tsunami-hit Fuk... Japan on defensive over food safety concerns The Japanese government is trying to fight against growing concerns that food from Japan is not safe. Don't plant rice, Japanese farmers told Japan’s government has announced it will ban farmers from planting rice in soil contaminated by radiation from the tsunami... Japan farmers brave radiation to feed livestock Farmers forced to flee Japan’s leaking nuclear plant are braving high levels of radiation inside the exclusion zone in a desperate bid to save t... For Fukushima's Farmers, Growing Uncertainty As Japan continues to grapple with the effects of the March 11 earthquake, the prefecture of Fukushima faces some of the biggest challenges.