Once again this year outdoor cultivation trials of GM crops are taking place in several locations in Japan. In continuation from last year, three kinds of GM rice are undergoing outdoor cultivation trials. A cedar pollen allergenic rice (intended for relief of sufferers from cedar pollen allergy) is being tested at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS) in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture (see BJ May 2006 and following article), a GM multi-resistant rice variety is being developed at the Hokuriku Research Center at Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, and an "iron-deficiency resistant rice", is being tested at Tohoku University, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan (see BJ Feb. 2006 and Closeup in this issue). These GM rice varieties have been planted or are due to be planted soon.

In addition, other GM crops, including GM maize, have been planted for trails at Monsanto Japan's fields in Ibaraki Prefecture and at the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Tochigi Prefecture.

This year's GM crop cultivation trials (2006)
National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture	Cedar pollen allergenic rice
	Herbicide tolerant soy bean
	Insect resistant maize [MON810]
Hokuriku Research Center, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture	Multi-resistant rice
Tohoku University, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture	Iron-deficiency resistant rice
Monsanto Japan, Ibaraki Prefecture	Herbicide tolerant soy bean
	Insect resistant maize [NK603 x MON810]
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Tochigi Prefecture	Herbicide tolerant + insect resistant maize [Bt11]
	Herbicide tolerant + insect resistant maize [TC6275]

On 17 April 2006, amid vociferous opposition from citizen groups, the transplanting of the GM cedar pollen allergenic rice onto an 800 m³ wet rice field took place at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS) in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. Last year 300 kg of the rice were harvested, but in order to boost animal tests on the rice, it is planned to harvest 500 kg by double-cropping the rice this year. This rice has inserted into its genome the seven epitopes (epitope - antigenic determinant - a unique shape or marker carried on an antigen's surface that triggers a corresponding antibody response), linked together, of the allergens which sets off the cedar pollen allergy. Currently, the crab-eating monkey is being used in safety assessment trials, but since the monkey does not normally eat rice, rice balls are made and force-fed to the subjects. The rice transplanted in April will be harvested in July, and a second transplantation is expected to take place in August.

A MAFF panel finalized a guideline on labeling of region of origin of the soybeans used in tofu and natto (fermented soy beans). If the guideline is approved, the country of origin of imported soybeans must be indicated, and the "domestic soybeans" label will be restricted to products containing 100% domestically produced soybeans. For domestically produced soybeans, the region of origin may also be indicated. This rule will make it clear which products contain soybeans produced in the USA, which are increasingly contaminated by GM soybeans. Further, this guideline refers only to tofu and natto, soy sauce and miso remaining outside the scope of the currently proposed guideline. (Japan Agricultural Newspaper 2006/04/25)

The MEXT working panel is considering approval for gratis donation of unfertilized ova, necessary research on the human clone embryo, from volunteers. In the final report on the human clone, published by the specialist panel on bioethics in July 2004 (see BJ August 2004 and BJ April 2006), gratis donation of ova from volunteers was banned in principle due to fears concerning "industrialization of the human body". MEXT has been continuing discussions based on this report, and at the meeting of the working panel on 14 April 2006 agreement was reached on further discussion of the exceptional conditions under which voluntary donation might be allowed, while continuing to recognize the ban in principle. Pushing the argument one step forward, Keio University School of Medicine Professor Yoshimura Yasunori stated, "I think volunteers should be allowed as a matter of course. Ideally this should be done in gratis, but we should also think about cash payments for expenses. If we do not, the research may not be able to move forward." Pointing out the danger of allowing exceptions too easily, Kitazato University School of Medicine Lecturer Saito Yukiko stated that, "The problem is that there will be some people who will be asked why aren't you willing to donate?. There must be an institutionalized system for protecting people like this."

A policy for the production of sperm and ova from human ES cells was formulated in the meeting of the MEXT specialist panel on 20 April 2006. (see BJ Jan 2006) Under the current guidelines the production of an individual from reproductive cells made from human ES cells is banned for reasons of possible harmful effects on social order. The background to the movement to lift the ban is a shortage of unfertilized ova for research on human clone embryos. Discussions are ongoing concerning whether to keep the ban on production of individuals in place and allow only the production of reproductive cells, or to go as far as to allow the fertilization of the reproductive cells produced. Tokyo University Medical Research Institute Professor Nakauchi Hiromitsu stated that, "Only by fertilization can we test whether we have really produced sperm or ova. There is no other way but to allow fertilization (of reproductive cells produced from human ES cells)." In a more prudent vein, Kyoto University Graduate School Professor Ida Ryuichi stated that, "The point is not that it is allowable to fertilize (the cells) as long as a child is not produced, the point is whether or not it is allowable to produce embryos for research purposes."

GM crops approved for open field cultivation (Type 1 usage) (Biodiversity Impact Assessment Investigative Commission)
Crop	Trait	Application (Developer)	Name	Approval Date*
Maize	Insect resistance and herbicide tolerance	Syngenta Japan	Bt10	20 April 2006
Soybean	Insect resistance and herbicide tolerance	Syngenta Japan DuPont	DP-356043-5 OECD UI: DP-356043-5	20 April 2006
* Technically, approval is granted after public comments have been accepted.

The GM rice variety being tested in the outdoor cultivation trials for the "iron-deficiency resistant rice", continuing on from last year (2005) at Tohoku University (Sendai City, northeastern Japan), was originally developed by a research team under Professor Mori Satoshi of the Tokyo University Faculty of Agriculture. The project currently takes the form of a joint development between Tohoku University and Tokyo University.

The reason for using GM technology is to develop a rice variety that can grow in alkaline soils, where there is poor absorption of iron by the roots. Researchers were attracted by the genes of barley, which grows well in alkaline soils. The gene that has been transferred is the gene from barley that produces mugineic acid.

Mugineic acid is literally the acid secreted by the root of barley (Japanese: mugi=barley, ne=root), and performs the role of transforming iron, in a form that is hard for plants to absorb in alkaline soils, into a form which is more easily absorbed.

Since there is hardly any alkaline soil in Japan, this GM rice variety is not expected to be cultivated in this country. Instead it is intended for developing countries, where there are large areas of alkaline soils.

Professor Kawata Masaharu of Yokkaichi University has pointed out the following issues concerning this rice variety. 1. An antibiotic resistant gene has been used in the production of this variety, making it possible that antibiotic resistant bacteria will increase. 2. An amino acid chain common to know allergens is present in the variety, making it possible that it will give rise to allergenic reactions. 3. If the variety is cultivated in developing countries, it is possible that it will cross-pollinate with wild rice, potentially damaging biodiversity. 4) The ear weight of the GM variety (avg. 7.5 g) is far below that of the conventional variety (11.5 g). 5. There is the issue of possible cross-pollination with rice growing nearby the cultivation trials.

According to the explanation given by Tohoku University, two-thirds of the world has alkaline soil. If the rice variety is grown in these places it will make a contribution to the increase of food production. However, crops like barley, suited to the various local conditions, are already being grown in these places. If iron-deficiency resistant rice is brought in to displace these crops, it is possible that the soil will be further degraded.

The objective of the two universities is to obtain patent rights, and selling these off to European and American biotech corporations is one of the aims. If they are successful in this, and the biotech corporations produce varieties for use in developing countries, then the sale of seeds will begin and it is possible that we will end up with a situation similar to that of South America today, where the control of seeds by multinational corporations is proceeding apace. These are the issues entwining the GM rice variety that will undergo outdoor cultivation trials again this year.