APEC FOOD SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP: JAPAN

UNCLAS TOKYO 001378

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/EP AND EAP/J
USDA FOR FAS DAN BERMAN AND ISABEL WALLS
DEPT PASS USTR FOR CUTLER, AUGEROT AND HOLLOWAY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON APECO
SUBJECT: APEC FOOD SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP: JAPAN
DECLINES TO SEND PARTICIPANTS

REF: WALLS-KASUGA E-MAILS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET


1. (SBU) Summary: Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and
Welfare (MHLW) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Fisheries (MAFF) will not send officials to participate in
the August 1-2 APEC Food Safety Risk Assessment Workshop in
Singapore, according to MOFA Senior Coordinator for APEC
Taisuke Mibae. The MHLW and MAFF cited both budgetary
constraints and concerns that the workshop could become a
forum attacking Japan's food safety regime as reasons for
their decisions. The MHLW and MAFF have declined to
participate in APEC food policy events in the past. Sponsors
of APEC food safety and food defense activities may wish to
consider having an APEC sponsoring economy besides the U.S.
convey future invitations to the GOJ as a way to help
encourage GOJ participation. End Summary


2. (SBU) Foreign Ministry official Mibae told Emboffs that,
in response to the invitation from the workshop organizers in
USDA's Office of Scientific and Technical Affairs, he had
approached MAFF and MHLW divisions responsible for food
safety issues to encourage them to send a representative to
the Singapore event. Both divisions refused to meet with
him, conveying their decision not to participate through
their respective International Affairs Divisions. The MHLW
officials, according to Mibae, said the Ministry sees little
to be gained by participating in international food safety
events of this type since they often become settings for
criticism about the excessive strictness of Japan's food
safety regime. When Mibae tried to encourage MHLW and MAFF
to look upon this workshop as an opportunity to explain the
country's food safety system to Japan's regional trading
partners, he was told this was not a Ministry priority at a
time of budget stringency.


3. (SBU) As a result of the decision, Dr. Fumiko Kasuga of
Japan's National Institute of Health Sciences, who will speak
on one of the panels (Ref),will be the only GOJ official
attending the workshop. Mibae asked Emboffs to confirm which
events Dr. Kasuga is invited to attend besides the panel on
which she has agreed to participate. FAS Tokyo will follow
up by e-mail with USDA on this issue.


4. (SBU) Comment: Both MHLW and MAFF have refused to
participate in APEC food policy activities for at least three
years. The Health Ministry would not send a representative
to APEC's 2006 Food Defense Workshop or to the 2008
Anti-counterfeit Health Products Seminars. The GOJ does face
constraints in its travel budgets, but there is a sense here
the reasons for such refusals is also fear that the events
will become fora for criticism, led by the U.S., of Japan's
food safety system. While noting shortcomings in Japan's
food safety systems, the trade problems they have engendered,
and the potential they may have to become questionable
examples followed by others in the region, one approach we
may wish to consider to counter the MHLW/MAFF defensive ploys
is to have another APEC sponsoring economy invite Japan to
future APEC food policy events. Given Japan's interest in
engaging China and other regional developing economies on
food safety issues, it would be difficult for MAFF or MHLW to
put aside a request for participation from one of those
economies.
ZUMWALT