Japan Diet OKs Bill on Responses to Food Supply Difficulties

Tokyo, June 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's parliament enacted Friday a bill on measures the government should take to prevent disruptions to food supplies in times of emergencies such as abnormal weather and conflicts.

The bill was approved at the day's plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament. It cleared the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, earlier.

Under the law, the government can ask companies to adjust food shipments and sales, expand production and imports, and make related plans.

Food items subject to the measures will be designated under an ordinance after being selected on the basis of the level of impact on people's lives. Rice, wheat, soybeans and livestock products and such items as fertilizers and seeds are expected to be chosen.

The government will set up a task force if signs of supplies of certain food items becoming difficult are detected. It will then decide target supply amounts and policies to be taken by relevant ministries and agencies, and make necessary requests to companies.

When it is judged that the stability of people's lives is threatened, such as by supplies of important food items declining 20 pct or more from normal times, the government will designate the situation as a challenging state for food supplies and order companies to make and submit plans for expanding imports and production, as well as adjusting shipments and sales. Noncompliant companies will be fined up to 200,000 yen.

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