It is time for the world to act. This is Yasuo Fukuda."
-- Message from the Prime Minister (Provisional Translation)
It is time for the world to act. This is Yasuo Fukuda.
"We estimate that already some 100 million people may have been
pushed into poverty... over the last two years."
World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick made this statement
when he was speaking about the influence of the recent worldwide
surge in grain prices. Indeed, during these two years corn, soybean,
and wheat prices have more than doubled.
In Japan, we are largely dependent on imports of food,
and accordingly, we have seen the price of bread, dairy products,
and other foods increase significantly. This is already exacting
a substantial toll on the lives of the people, though the issue
of food price increases is not only an issue for Japan.
Many of the nations of Asia and Africa rely on imported food.
In some of those nations, the average per capita income amounts
to less than one dollar per day, and more than half of that has to
be spent on purchasing food. The current sharp rise in food prices
is a serious issue directly affecting the very lives of poor people
who are struggling just to be able to afford to eat.
Moreover, in some nations we are seeing demonstrations and riots
by people who have had enough of rising prices, and in some cases
this has resulted in casualties and deaths. Last week, my sense
of the gravity of this issue was renewed when I held talks with
many leaders from Africa on the occasion of the Fourth Tokyo
International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV).
It was with this strong sense of urgency that I came to Rome
on June 3 to attend the World Food Summit.
More than anything else, we must absolutely get food as quickly as
possible to those people who at this very instant are experiencing
shortfalls of food and to those who are actually starving.
For our part, I have announced Japan's additional food assistance,
and moreover, called upon countries around the world to release
their stockpiles of food and to refrain from instituting
restrictions on agricultural exports.
As we look ahead, aiming for long-term stability, we must increase
food production capacity on a global scale. It goes without saying
that Japan, the world's largest food importer, must achieve greater
agricultural production and increase our food self-sufficiency rate.
In addition, I have announced that Japan, in close coordination
with the international community, will make an active contribution
to infrastructure development such as irrigation and research into
breed improvement, so as to improve the agricultural productivity
of African nations and other developing countries.
The production of biofuels utilizing grain products is also one
factor in the recent rapid price increases. As such, I made it
clear that Japan will accelerate research on biofuels made of
non-food plants as well as the portions of agricultural products
that are left over after harvest such as rice straw, in order to
bring them into practical production.
It is time for the world to take swift actions based upon collected
wisdom and insights.
Before and after attending the World Food Summit, I had
opportunities to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany,
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom, President
Nicolas Sarkozy of France, and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
of Italy. In our talks, it became apparent to me that all of these
world leaders share this view on the current situation and consider
the food situation that the world is facing now to be of crisis
proportions.
Leaders of major industrialized nations will gather together
at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit next month.
As the Chair of the G8 Summit, I intend to place the issue
of the rapid increase in food prices firmly on the agenda.
I am resolved to issue to the world a robust message -- one that
represents the determination of the leaders of the G8 nations --
that will offer assurance for the future about food, the foundation
for life.
-- Message from the Prime Minister (Provisional Translation)
It is time for the world to act. This is Yasuo Fukuda.
"We estimate that already some 100 million people may have been
pushed into poverty... over the last two years."
World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick made this statement
when he was speaking about the influence of the recent worldwide
surge in grain prices. Indeed, during these two years corn, soybean,
and wheat prices have more than doubled.
In Japan, we are largely dependent on imports of food,
and accordingly, we have seen the price of bread, dairy products,
and other foods increase significantly. This is already exacting
a substantial toll on the lives of the people, though the issue
of food price increases is not only an issue for Japan.
Many of the nations of Asia and Africa rely on imported food.
In some of those nations, the average per capita income amounts
to less than one dollar per day, and more than half of that has to
be spent on purchasing food. The current sharp rise in food prices
is a serious issue directly affecting the very lives of poor people
who are struggling just to be able to afford to eat.
Moreover, in some nations we are seeing demonstrations and riots
by people who have had enough of rising prices, and in some cases
this has resulted in casualties and deaths. Last week, my sense
of the gravity of this issue was renewed when I held talks with
many leaders from Africa on the occasion of the Fourth Tokyo
International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV).
It was with this strong sense of urgency that I came to Rome
on June 3 to attend the World Food Summit.
More than anything else, we must absolutely get food as quickly as
possible to those people who at this very instant are experiencing
shortfalls of food and to those who are actually starving.
For our part, I have announced Japan's additional food assistance,
and moreover, called upon countries around the world to release
their stockpiles of food and to refrain from instituting
restrictions on agricultural exports.
As we look ahead, aiming for long-term stability, we must increase
food production capacity on a global scale. It goes without saying
that Japan, the world's largest food importer, must achieve greater
agricultural production and increase our food self-sufficiency rate.
In addition, I have announced that Japan, in close coordination
with the international community, will make an active contribution
to infrastructure development such as irrigation and research into
breed improvement, so as to improve the agricultural productivity
of African nations and other developing countries.
The production of biofuels utilizing grain products is also one
factor in the recent rapid price increases. As such, I made it
clear that Japan will accelerate research on biofuels made of
non-food plants as well as the portions of agricultural products
that are left over after harvest such as rice straw, in order to
bring them into practical production.
It is time for the world to take swift actions based upon collected
wisdom and insights.
Before and after attending the World Food Summit, I had
opportunities to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany,
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom, President
Nicolas Sarkozy of France, and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
of Italy. In our talks, it became apparent to me that all of these
world leaders share this view on the current situation and consider
the food situation that the world is facing now to be of crisis
proportions.
Leaders of major industrialized nations will gather together
at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit next month.
As the Chair of the G8 Summit, I intend to place the issue
of the rapid increase in food prices firmly on the agenda.
I am resolved to issue to the world a robust message -- one that
represents the determination of the leaders of the G8 nations --
that will offer assurance for the future about food, the foundation
for life.
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