On August 5, the DPJ issued the following representation:

It is extremely regrettable that eight organisations, including the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA), have in response to one sentence in the DPJ Manifesto issued a statement (on July 31, 2009) entitled “Statement regarding our resolute opposition to a Japan-US FTA”, which, contrary to the actual facts, arbitrarily categorises the DPJ as approving “the complete elimination of duties on rice, wheat, pork, beef and the like, [in trade with] the United States.”

We cannot overlook such an action, which has taken place with a general election fast approaching and without contacting the DPJ to check the facts and to confirm the true meaning [of the Manifesto reference.]

We strongly urge the executives of these eight organisations, who are composed mainly of farmers and those involved in the agricultural industry, to employ a careful and moderate response.

The Democratic Party of Japan has long considered it necessary, in order to further develop Japan’s economy and society as a whole and the agricultural, forestry and fishing industries and rural communities in particular, to realise the promotion of FTA and WHO negotiations and the like through international cooperation and coordination.

We will engage in FTA negotiations with the prerequisite that conditions leading to a further deterioration in Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fishing industries and rural communities must be avoided, engaging in negotiations on the condition that duties on rice and other significant products will not be reduced or abolished, and hence we have stated that an agreement which would damage Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fishing industries and rural communities is unthinkable.

We have made this basic stance clear in expressing our opposition to rough-and-ready negotiations at the start of negotiations for an FTA with Australia and on other occasions, and in debate in the Diet following the submission of the individual agricultural (household) income support bill.

With regard to WTO negotiations also, the DPJ is resolved to engage in them persistently, using every possible means at our disposal. The DPJ policy pledges, including the individual agricultural (household) income support, are in line with the expectations of farmers and the Japanese public.

With regard to [our reference to] “the political neutrality of the JA”, it is totally inaccurate to categorise this as “an action attempting to legally restrict urgent calls from producers themselves”. All we are saying is that while agricultural organisations should actively engage in political activities, they should not however, engage in such activities on behalf of a particular political party. Moreover, we would like to place it on the record that stating the establishment of a new agricultural cooperative organisation is “aimed at destroying the JA” is also an arbitrary conclusion.