Japanese Citizens Strongly Support the Magkaisa Junk JPEPA Coalition (MJJC)'s Campaign Against JPEPA
Japanese Citizen Groups Joint Statement
3 October 2007 – Hearings for the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) have been held by the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Philippine Senate since September 14. The JPEPA was signed by the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in September 2006. A total of five hearings will have been conducted by October 11th to discuss the JPEPA in the aspects of “trade and investment “economic impacts” “environment” “constitution” “transboundary movements of people.” Magkaisa Junk JPEPA Coalition (MJJC) – a coalition of organizations addressing the JPEPA issue from the multifaceted perspectives including human rights, fisheries, agriculture, labor, education, and politics – opposes to the ratification of JPEPA for its various problems.
We, the Japanese citizen groups working on environmental, human health, human rights, agricultural and consumers’ issues, too have been warning of a possible consequence of the ratification of the JPEPA, which lists hazardous wastes as zero tariff products. Since November 2006, we have released a series of
statements urging the Japanese government to remove all the hazardous waste trade liberalization provisions from the JPEPA, to make the negotiation process of the JPEPA public, to immediately ratify the Basel Ban Amendment, and to achieve national self-sufficiency in the management of wastes instead of relying on developing countries to take care of wastes. (Reference 1)
Today, we express our strong support for the position of the MJJC based on their statement released on September 15th 2007 – “The Philippine Senate Should Reject the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA),” which points out twelve problems with the JPEPA and clearly explains the rationale for their opposition to the JPEPA. (Reference 2)
The followings are the signing organizations:
ATTAC (Association for the Taxation of financial Transaction for the Citizens) Japan
Basel Action Network (BAN) / USA
Campaign for Future of Filipino Children (CFFC)
Chemical Sensitivity Support Center
Chikugo River Water Watch
Citizens Against Chemicals Pollution
Citizens Policy Research Committee
Community and Collaboration Research Center
Consumers Union of Japan
Environmental Forum of Toyonaka Citizens
Forum for Peace, Human Rights and the Environment
Globalization Watch Hiroshima
IKKI IKKI ASIA
Japan Family Farmers Movement (NOUMINREN)
Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center (JOSHRC)
Jubilee Kansai Network
KAFTI
Kansai Action Center on Philippine Human Rights Issues
No-to-WTO/FTA Grassroots Campaign
Pesticide Awareness Group
Stop Dioxin Pollution! East Japan Network
Stop Dioxin Pollution! Kansai Network
END
For more information: Takeshi YASUMA (Citizens Against Chemicals Pollution) can be reached via
email: ac7t-ysm@asahi-net.or.jp
Reference 1:
November 29, 2006
Japanese Citizen Groups Joint Press Release Call for Removal of Tariff Reduction for Wastes from the Japan- Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) http://www.ne.jp/asahi/kagaku/pico/basel/JPEA/JPEPA_Joint_Appeal_e2.pdf
December 8, 2006
Citizen Groups Joint Statement of Opinion Critique of the Japanese Government’s Strategy to Export Wastes to Developing Countries Under the Name of International Resource Recycling http://www.ne.jp/asahi/kagaku/pico/basel/JPEA/NGO_joint_statement_061208_en.pdf
February 11, 2007
Japanese Citizen Groups Urge the Japanese Government to Remove Wastes from EPAs with Developing Countries and to Seek National Self-Sufficiency in the Waste Management http://www.ne.jp/asahi/kagaku/pico/basel/JPEA/EPA_Jpn_NGO_Joint_Statement_070211_en.pdf
Reference 2:
Magkaisa Junk JPEPA Coalition (MJJC), 15 September 2007 THE PHILIPPINE SENATE SHOULD REJECT THE JAPAN-PHILIPPINES ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (JPEPA) http://junkjpepa.blogspot.com/
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