Continuation of the ETQ will depend on the outcome of the first one. The purpose of the ETQ is to promote demand for different varieties of rice in Japan and to expand participation of countries in Japan s rice import market, without sacrificing current safety, quality or price levels. However, the recent discovery of an unapproved GM corn from the United States in the Japanese food supply has sparked concerns about non-approved GMOs. The new labeling requirements raise questions for the food processors and industrial users on how to effectively market their products. While some opinion polls indicate a high degree of consumer concern over GMOs, others indicate that these concerns are significantly reduced when consumers learn of the environmental benefits of GMOs and that the MHW has tested and approved any GMO products sold in Japan.
Industry campaigns to educate consumers are still in the planning stages.
STA is charged with overseeing laboratory and experimental tests, while MAFF is responsible for overseeing developments in the agricultural sector, including animal feed safety, environmental aspects and field tests, and MHW is responsible for determining the safety of biotechnology products destined for the human food supply. The MAFF review process of GMOs for animal feed safety and environmental impacts is still voluntary, but could become mandatory as well. The GOJ has consistently taken the public position that GMO products approved by the MHW and MAFF are safe. So far this view has been successfully countered as shortsighted. The sound science faction believes that Japan will have a GMO rice variety within a few years, so they do not want to create consumer backlash that would prevent Japanese farmers from taking advantage of this, or other new technologies when they become available.