There are 91 genetically modified agricultural products of seven varieties approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. A large number of GM agricultural products have already been approved, mainly corn, soybeans, cotton, and rice.

The European Union (EU) has its own standards for genetically modified foods. By this standard, in Japan, many genetically modified foods have been detected in snacks and soft drinks (drinks sold in vending machines and convenience stores). There are already many genetically modified foods on the Japanese market.

There are already 7 varieties and 91 GMO crops under test cultivation approved by MAFF, including corn and soybeans.

GMOs are not grown commercially in Japan. But in 2012, GMOs were grown on a trial basis in isolated "fields" at 9 facilities. In 2012, GMOs grown in isolated "fields" amounted to 28 varieties at 9 facilities. The project is being conducted at "isolated fields" owned by four genetically modified companies including Monsanto which holds 90% of the world market share, and at three national universities, and two MAFF-affiliated research institutes.

○Monsanto Japan (U.S.-based) is growing GM soybeans, cotton, rapeseed, and one variety of corn at its isolated field in Kawachi-machi, Ibaraki Prefecture, and low-lignin GM alfalfa at its isolated field in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, at the Livestock and Grassland Research Institute.

○DuPont (U.S.-based) Kiyohara Industrial Park, Utsunomiya City. Four genetically modified corn varieties and two rapeseed varieties.

○Dow Chemical (U.S.-based) Ogori, Fukuoka, Japan. Two herbicide tolerant genetically modified soybean varieties and one cotton variety.

○Bayer CropScience (German affiliate) Miyazaki University, Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan. Two genetically modified cotton varieties.

○Syngenta Japan (Swiss-based) Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Two herbicide tolerant genetically modified soybean varieties.
○National Institute of Agrobiological Resources Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Six genetically modified composite disease-resistant rice varieties and one genetically modified cedar pollen allergy mitigating rice variety.

○Tsukuba University Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Genetically modified cold-tolerant eucalyptus.

○Tohoku University Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. Genetically modified UV-resistant rice and two UV-sensitive rice varieties.

How are the farmers in the vicinity of the quarantine field being briefed?
Will nearby crops be contaminated?

Why cotton in Japan?　With Japanese labor costs, domestic cotton cultivation is questionable because it is not a viable business to begin with.

( to be continued )