2004 Current Situation concerning GM Rice in Japan

2004 Current Situation concerning GM Rice in Japan

GM Watch Center

Current Development Status
The Cartagena protocol
In 2004, genetic modification developments in Japan were affected by the establishment of national law based on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety adopted by the Biodiversity Treaty.　
Firstly, biodiversity impact assessment became obligatory for all genetically modified (hereinafter referred to as GM) crops. Crops that lack impact assessment, though it may already be in market, must newly undergo an assessment.
This is good news to consumers against GM.
However, because the law excluded cultivated species from its biodiversity range, impacts on crops were ignored. Contamination by GM species is beginning to expand, as imported rapeseeds are shipped from Japanese harbors to several parts of the country, and seeds dropped during transportation continue to germinate and bloom elsewhere. It is hard to accept the narrow view Japanese government and Congress take on biodiversity, dismissing these cases as not subject to regulation.
Secondly, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) laid out "Guideline on Experimental Cultivation of Genetically Modified Crops Approved by Regulation on First Type Usage". "First Type Usage" refers to usages in field trials and commercial cultivation. With the establishment of this experimental guideline, related public institutions now must obtain consent from local residents through preliminary explanatory meetings and disclose information.
Consequently, preliminary explanatory meetings concerning GM crop field trials were carried out and information were disclosed, enabling us to be notified of the situation beforehand, rather than after the experiment started as until last year.
Activities were enforced by these efforts.
However, isolation distance specified in the Guideline is not enough to prevent interbreeding.

Field trials
Field trials took place in 2004 as well. Field trials were planned for four varieties, but since one was then switched to greenhouse experiment, only three varieties were actually experimented outdoors.

High concentration tryptophan rice
This is a variety developed by the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) under the National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization (NARO), a governmental research organization in relation to MAFF, and was experimented in isolated fields of National Agricultural Research Center in Tsukuba (Ibaraki, Japan). The first isolated field trial took place in 2003, and this was the second field trial.
They grew two lines of the rice variety "Nihon-bare", high in concentration of tryptophan, an amino acid used as additive in animal feed. Their object in 2004 was to produce experimentally cultivated rice necessary for feeding experiment (to chickens).

National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) (http://nics.naro.affrc.go.jp/)


Short stem, fall resistant rice
This is a variety developed by the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), a governmental research organization in relation to MAFF. Two varieties, one short statued and one elect-leaved, have undergone experimentation.
Both varieties, with characteristics of fall prevention, increased harvest, and improvement of workability, aim for another "green revolution".
Using "Dontokoi" variety as a host, isolated field trials were carried out in a NIAS facility in Tsukuba from May 2004.
One is a variety with short statue, derived by introducing gibberellin-2-oxidase gene that inactivates gibberellin in plants. The other is a rice variety with elect-leafs, derived by introducing modified brassinolide receptor gene, a brassinolide (plant hormone) receptor variant.

National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS)
(http://www.nias.affrc.go.jp/gmo/rice/)


Hay fever preventing rice (field trial terminated)
This variety was developed by National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), with collaborative research undertaken by National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA) incorporating many farmers in Japan, and field trial planned at the Zen-Noh Agricultural Research and Development Center in Hiratsuka (Kanagawa, Japan).
There are numerous cases of allergies such as nasal inflammation in early spring in Japan due to pollens released from forested cedars. 10% of all Japanese, or 13 million, are said to be suffering from hey fever.
The rice was developed with an aim to prevent these allergic symptoms.
A protein 7Crp not existing in nature is expressed in this rice, by synthesizing artificial DNA corresponding to the active site (epitope) of the allergen protein.
Kawata Masaharu of GMO Information Service Japan (GISJ: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cdu37690/) points out, "Because this protein does not exist naturally, safety evaluation different from that carried out on hitherto known GM crops must be undertaken, and it needs to be evaluated as medicine rather than as food".
MAFF has also expressed concern that it should not be permitted as food.
That JA, the farmers association, took part in its development shocked not only consumers but farmers themselves.
Concerns were raised over the risk the variety may hold against the environment and human body.
The explanatory meeting organized by JA got completely tangled, and many protested including local farmers.
Kanagawa prefecture also called for the termination. As a result, JA decided to stop field trials and change to a greenhouse experiment indoors. JA also indicated that it plans to stop its developmental steps within two years.

National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA)
(http://www.zennoh.or.jp/)


Anti-GM Activities
After a report on field trials of hay fever preventing rice was broadcasted, more than hundred citizens, farmers and NGOs gathered in the explanatory meeting. Signature campaigns were carried out by citizens and NGOs, and after repeated negotiations, JA dropped the field trial.
Not only the GM rice, but also the field trials of GM potatoes were stopped by protesting local residents.
In 2001, NGOs in Japan demanded Aventis CropScience Japan (currently Bayer CropScience Shionogi) to drop its application of GM "LL rice" as food and succeeded in reversing the company's decision.
In 2001, 580,000 signatures and citizen's protest stopped the development and commercialization of anti-herbicide GM rice developed through collaboration of Aichi prefecture and Monsanto.
This triggered withdrawal of private businesses from GM rice and crops development.
In 2003, 400,000 signatures and citizen's protest stopped GM rice development by Iwate prefecture.
Protesting movements were initiated in Hokkaido, Kagawa, Ibaraki prefectures where field trials of GM rice took place.
As a result, almost all prefectural GM crop developments were terminated.
That leaves governmental research organizations of MAF and research facilities such as Universities. Governmental research organizations such as NIAS continue research developments of GM rice and other crops using a large sum of national budget.
In 2004, citizens and farmers were able to put their strength together to stop development and commercialization of hay fever preventing rice. Citizen's concern and interest against GM crops are increasing.
2004 was designated a United Nations Rice Year, and research sessions related to GM rice were held in Japan. At the same time, the NGOs invited guest speakers against GM from abroad and organized anti-GM meetings.
Currently No! GMO Campaign in Japan is calling nationwide for the establishment of GM Monitoring Network. It is also calling for Declaration of GM Free Zones to municipalities, producer's organizations, consumer cooperatives, etc. In Hokkaido, there is a move to establish an ordinance regulating GM cultivation and experimentation.
As expected, GM promoters are continuously appealing GM's safety through the media, accusing anti-GM movement as "nonscientific and based on ignorance". We must vigorously continue our activities, as there is now a plan to plant GM soy in Hokkaido. However, anti-GM activities in Japan are building strength through several achievements.

No! GMO Campaign　(http://www.no-gmo.org/)
GMO Information Service Japan (GISJ)　(http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cdu37690/)

[ February 01, 2005 | report ]