With the support of the politically powerful Agriculture Cooperatives Group, which boasts 8 million members, they have demanded protection from the government. That the adversary is China has no doubt helped their cause. Despite frequent complaints of dumping and invisible trade barriers, it has never threatened overt trade restrictions before. But China is different. Last year, Japan notched up a 2.7 trillion yen trade deficit with China, the biggest it has ever had with any foreign country.
Diplomatic relations are also strained as a result of differing interpretations of the war.
If it goes ahead, the top tariff rate for shiitake will jump from 4.3 per cent to 266 per cent for 200 days. Similarly prohibitive rates would be levied on scallions and rush mats. Once released, however, the spores of protection could spread much further. There are already calls in Japan for tariffs to be imposed on Chinese towels and eels. Beijing has hinted that it may retaliate by restricting imports of Japanese electronic goods.