(From January 2007 to current issue)

Headlines of all articles in Bio Journal translated into English (most recent at top, abbreviations table at foot of page). Where the entire article has been translated into English the headline below is linked to the article. For further information, kindly contact CBIC staff at: cbic@mtf.biglobe.ne.jp

Contents

Trend:
GM Bt maize disrupts aquatic ecosystem (National Science Foundation 2007/10/09, Reuter 2007/10/25)

News

• GM maize contamination in NON-GM maize accelerating (Cape Times 2007/10/22)
• Serious GM pollution in food in Germany (Focus 200/09/24)
• Monsanto boosts GM seed sales figures (Wall Street Journal 2007/10/10)
• USA company plans to sell GM rice to China (Wall Street Journal 2007/10/09)
• GM drought-tolerant maize to be field tested in South Africa (IOL, South Africa 2007/10/22)
• UK government to re-start GM crop field trials? (The Daily Telegraph 2007/11/07)
• France suspends GM insecticidal maize cultivation (Reuter 2007/10/25)
• Increasing GM crop cultivation area in EU (EuropaBio 2007/10/29)
• EU Agriculture Council fails to approve four GM crops (Reuter 2007/10/11)
• Where is the Australian states' GM moratorium going?
• Bio-ethanol will cause soil infertility (Geoderma 2007 October)
• Chiba University and Hyogo College of Medicine violate Cartagena law (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 2007/10/18)
• AIST violates rules on handling of dangerous microorganisms (Asahi Newspaper 2007/10/18, and others)
• Science Council of Japan report on assisted repromed focuses on surrogacy
• Fertilized ovum cloned cattle become meat for human consumption
• GM crop approvals for October 2007

Closeup

Side effects in gene therapy for Parkinson's disease

Contents

Trend:
Second round of Codex GMO meeting ends

News

• France to freeze commercialisation of GM crops (Agence France Presse 2007/09/21)
• Germany sets the buffer zone on GM maize cultivation (GENET 2007/09/13)
• Unauthorised GM rapeseed found in Germany (Coalition against Bayer Dangers 2007/09/18)
• European Court of Justice rules Austrian state law banning GM farming illegal (EuropeBio 2007/09/14)
• GM sugar beet to be approved in EU? (Reuter 2007/09/10)
• 3 million signatures demand GM crop cultivation ban in Italy (Reuter 2007/10/1)
• Argentine high court orders protection of indigenous land and people from GM crops (Jurist, USA 2007/09/19)
• GM super-weed pollutes Argentine pampas (CNN Money 2007/09/26)
• Big yield loss due to GM cotton in Punjab, India (Infochange 2007/09/06, The Financial Express 2007/09/19)
• GM eggplant R&D in India (Cornell University 2007/09/19)
• Phytase-enhanced GM maize developed in China (SciDev. Net 2007/09/13)
• GM tree field trial in Taiwan (The China Post 2007/09/14)
• More than 50% of farmers sceptical about GM crop farming in Australia (North Queensland Register 2007/10/04)
• Banned GM alfalfa found growing in USA (AP 2007/08/26)
• USDA ends its investigation on GM rice contamination (Reuter 2007/10/05)
• GM rice found in Budweiser beer (Beverage daily.com 2007/10/09)
• Bill Gates Foundation funding drought-tolerant GM crop R&D (The Standard, Kenya 2007/09/09)
• Attorney General investigates Monsanto on suspicion of anti-trust law violation (LegalNewsLine.com 2007/09/13)
• GM terminator technology for weed control? (The Financial Express 2007/09/17)
• Human clone embryo research: use of fertilized triploid ova discussed

Closeup

New "Draft National Biodiversity Strategy" finalised

Contents

Trend:
Government of Western Australia to maintain GM crop moratorium? (Western Australian Business News 2007/08/30, WTS 2007/08/05, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 2007/08/22)

News

• First planting of Monsanto's GM sugar beet in northern USA? (CNN Money USA 2007/08/22)
• Finnish companies announce use of GM feed (Helsingin Sanomat 2007/08/15, 2007/08/22)
• Romanian consumers reject GM food (Greenpeace Romania 2007/08/27)
• Trial for landmine detection GM plant OK'd by Serbian government (Aresa, Denmark 2007/08/27)
• Kenyan farmers protest GM crops (Africa Science News Service 2007/08/21)
• Govt of Chile change policy on GMO information disclosure (The Santiago Times 2007/08/24)
• New Zealand government overturns GM maize approval (ABC news 2007/08/04)
• GM cotton cultivation hits big wall in Pakistan (The News International 2007/08/20)
• Offence and defence on GM crop field trials in Thailand (Thai News Agency 2007/08/29)
• Islamic legalist calls for GM food boycott (Gulf Times, Qatar 2007/08/25)
• GM BT maize is more susceptible to aphids (Science Daily 2007/08/30)
• Vancouver Island declares itself GMO FREE (Cowichan News Leader 2007/08/15)
• Mitsui & Co., Ltd. acquires Brazilian business to secure NON-GM soybeans (Bloomberg 2007/08/09)
• Monsanto's next-generation strategy to be drought-tolerant GM crops? (U.S. News&World Report 2007/08/19)
• GM bovine growth hormone-free milk more popular in USA (The Island 2007/08/15)
• MHLW approves commercialization of cultured skin for transplants (Asahi Shinbun 2007/08/24)
• First approvals for clinical research on human stem cell under new guidelines (Biotechnology Japan 2007/08/30)
• GM crop approval data for July

Closeup

Gene therapy technology as a tool for regenerative medicine

Contents

Trend:
Moves towards lifting of ban on GM crops in Australia (Green Left 2007/07/14)

News

• Monsanto markets new GM soy (Forbes 2007/07/31)
• South African researchers develop new disease resistant maize (EurekAlert 2007/07/08)
• Development of multi-disease resistant GM rice in Japan (Joyo Sinbun 2007/07/18)
• Disease resistant plum developed in USA (USDA ARS 2007/07/25)
• GM crop cultivation ban in Cusco region of Peru (Nature 2007/07/18)
• Bt corn ban to be lifted in Maine (Portland Press Herald 2007/07/13)
• GM maize increasing in German feed (BVL 2007/07/23)
• Moves in Mexico towards GM crop trials (Reuter 2007/07/17)
• Codex GMO meeting in Japan in September
• 4th generation somatic cell pig born (Yomiuri Shinbun 2007/08/07)
• Development of GM super-trees (Fortune Magazine 2007/08/01)
• US gene therapy patient dies (Mainichi Shinbun 28/07/2007)
• Gene therapy for AIDS begins with monkeys (Takara Bio Press Release, 17/07/2007)
• GM rabbits used for pharmaceutical production (in-Pharma Technologist 2007/07/16)
• Decision for 5-year extension of order-made medicine project
• Basic guidelines for fertilized abnormal ova use in human clone embryo research
• Research project including genetically engineered human ES cells approved

Closeup

Moves towards lifting of ban on GM crops in Australian states

Contents

Trend:
GM crop areas expand with the biofuel boom (Bloomberg 2007/06/28, USDA report, etc.)

News

• Ag Minister of Western Australia suggests lifting of ban on GM crops (The Western Australian 2007/06/22)
• Australia approves outdoor trials for drought resistant GM wheat (OGTR 2007/06/13)
• DuPont to develop seeds in Brazil (Pioneer HiBred 2007/06/12)
• Claim against Monsanto ad in South Africa (South African Broadcasting Corporation 2007/06/20)
• "GMO Free Food Labelling" introduced in Moscow (Reuter 2007/06/24)
• Large numbers of outdoor GM crop trials approved in India (The Financial Express, India 2007/06/22)
• Syngenta moves towards joint development of GM crops with China (Syngenta 2007/06/25)
• Monsanto and Bayer agree to develop GM crops with tolerance to two herbicides (Food Navigator 2007/06/21)
• GM tomato with herb fragrance (Nature Biotechnology 2007/06/25)
• Hyogo prefecture's test showed 60% Tofu products contain GMOs
• MAFF indicates the direction of GM crop promotion
• Kanagawa Prefecture to establish bylaw for regulation of GM crop cultivation
• Human iPS cells not covered by national regulations
• Human clone embryo research - discussion begins on abnormal fertilized ova
• MEXT begins consideration of promotion of order-made medicine
• GM crop approval data for June 2007

Closeup

Spilled GM canola still spreading

Contents

Trend:
Development of GM crops for biofuels (agbios 2007/05/16, Sankei Web 2007/05/28)

News

• European Parliament demands import ban on GM fish (European Parliament 2007/05/22
• US continues pressure on EU for lifting of GM ban (FoE press release 2007/05/30)
• Cypriot parliament refuses biofuels from GM crops (Cyprus Mail 2007/05/22)
• EU agriculture ministers adopt 0.9% as GM contamination rate for organic food (Council of the European Union 2007/06/12)
• Malaysian prime minister emphasises importance of biosafety (The New Straits Times 2007/05/22)
• Chinese consumers also reject GM foods (Reuters 2007/06/07)
• Malaysian parliament passes GM food labelling system (The Straits Times, Malaysia, 2007/05/30)
• Hard-sell of GM foods to Ghana accelerates (The Statesman Ghana 2007/05/09)
• Burkina Faso postpones cultivation of GM cotton (Yahoo News Canada 2007/05/24)
• GM crop cultivation expanding in southern Africa but still no inspection organization (The Herald 2007/05/21)
• Minnesota establishes wild rice protection law (Star Tribune 200705/29)
• US corn industry: nonseparation of GM (ACGA news and views 2007/05/18)
• Victoria (Australia) reviews GMO ban policy (Sydney Morning Herald 2007/05/22)
• Cholera vaccine developed in USA (Scientific American 2007/06/11)
• New herbicide tolerant crop developed (Nature Online 2007/0/5/24)
• Japan's GMO-free zone now exceeds 1% of farmland
• Cells analogous to ES cell produced (Nature 2007/06/06)
• Draft first report on human clone embryo finalised
• GM crop approval data for May 2007

Closeup

A stalemate? GM rice R&D

Contents

Trend:
En masse disappearance of bees and Bt maize (New York Times 2007/04/24)

News

• American grain exporters concerned about the planting of GM maize (Reuters 2007/04/21 and West Central Tribune 2007/04/21)
• Cultivation of GM alfalfa banned throughout US (Associated Press 2007/05/03)
• Townships in Massachusetts introduce resolutions demanding regulation of GM crops
• ROK Govt to liberalize GM crop trade with USA (Hangyore Newspaper 2007/04/09)
• US pressures Malaysia over GM food labeling system (The Star, Malaysia 2007/04/24)
• Philippines West Negros Govt establishes ordinance on regulation of GMOs (The Visayan Daily Star 2007/04/27)
• Illegal sales of glowing GM freshwater fish (Sankei Shinbun 2007/04/25)
• Taiwan animal protection organization protests GM pig (DPE - German Press Agency - 2007/04/30)
• NIAS to plant cedar pollen allergenic GM rice again this year
• Doubts over effectiveness of GM rice diarrhea cure (Center for Food Safety 2007/04/24)
• Golden potato developed (Nutra Ingredients 2007/04/26)
• Two-thirds of processed foods either have GM contaminated raw materials or are unanalysable
• Three European countries enact nationwide GMO-free zone
• First genetic therapy for Parkinson's disease begins in Japan
• GM crop approval details for April 2007

Closeup

Second Generation Biofuels

Contents

Trend:
Reappraisal points to problems with Monsanto's GM crops (Greenpeace International)

News

• GM alfalfa cultivation regulated again in US (USDA 2007/03/23)
• Resistance spreads to cultivation of pharmaceutical GM rice (Lawrence Journal World 2007/03/25)
• Monsanto to cultivate GM soybean in Chile (The Santiago Times 2007/04/04)
• Will the next Brazilian minister of agriculture be a biotech enterprise president? (American Soybean Association Weekly 2007/03/19)
• European Parliament turns down bill to allow 0.9% GM contamination in organic produce (GM Watch 2007/3/29)
• Australian CSIRO fire specialist who is critical of GM crops (The Canberra Times 2007/03/20)
• LL Rice 601 pollution expands in USA (Washington Post 2007/03/11)
• GM pollution in USA: now the villain is LL Rice 604
• Asia Citizens Rice Action finishes with demonstration against GM rice
• Outdoor trials of GM poplar approved
• Suntory develops high phosphorus accumulating torenia (Suntory)
• Pollen allergy alleviating rice becomes "pharmaceutical" (Yomiuri Shinbun 2007/03/31)
• GM rice trial at Hokuriku Research Center ends
• ROK clone wolf a fake? (Kyodo 2007/04/09)
• Specialist group opinion on food from cloned livestock (The New Standard 2007/03/22)
• Kitasato University holds symposium on DNA testing
• The Science Council of Japan discusses legal aspects of assisted reproduction
• First Japanese project to establish human ES cell lines partially revised
• Monsanto and BASF eye biofuel demand

Closeup

Working Group Meeting of Codex Task Force on GM Foods begins (Please see the following article: Attempt to Legitimate GM Contamination Blocked -- Please download the CUJ Japan Resources issue 139 pdf and see the article on p.8.)

Contents

Trend:
Russian GM potato experiment results hidden for 8 years (The Independent 2007/2/17)

News

• Chinese GM rice fails to be approved again (Xinhua 2007/2/25)
• Philippino religious leader requests ban on GM rice (Philippine STAR 2007/2/18)
• Anti-GM rice activities in 13 Asian countries (GM Watch 2007/3/2)
• Indian basmati rice area becomes GMO-free (The Financial Express 2007/2/24)
• 75% of German consumers reject GM food (GFK Network 2007/2/17)
• German GM pea scandal (GE NET 2007/2/20)
• Hungary's GM maize planting ban continues (Reuter 2007/2/21 and others)
• Complaint filed by US farmers to stop sale of GM alfalfa (Billings Gazette 2007/2/21)
• US rice farmers publish results of market research (The Sacramento Bee 2007/2/21)
• US producers file complaint against Monsanto for monopolistic practices (ACGA 2007/2/22)
• USDA approves trial for pharm GM rice (Alliance of Concerned Scientists 2007/3/6)
• Ban on planting of GM contaminated rice in Arkansas (Delta Farm Press 2007/3/6)
• Auckland (New Zealand) chooses to uphold GMO regulation (ARC New Zealand 2007/2/19)
• Law for promotion of approval of GM crops passes in Brazil (Market Watch 2007/2/28)
• GM crop approval temporarily suspended in Uruguay (GE NET 2007/2/19)
• GM banana to be introduced in Uganda? (The East African 2007/2/19)
• GM salmon has ferocious nature (New Scientist 2007/2/26)
• Work begins on the revision of guidelines banning research on human clone embryos
• Panel on bioethics approves relaxation of human ES cell guidelines
• GM crop approval data for February 2007

Closeup

Rice pollen could drift 8 times more than the national standard

Contents

Trend:
Illegal and unapproved GM rice contamination in rice products from China

News

• 2006 GM crop planted areas announced
• Cultivation of GM alfalfa begins in US
• Area planted to Bt cotton increases in India
• Environmental protection organizations issue reports on current state of GMOs
• Are the ISAAA data accurate? (Gene Ethics 2007/01/20)
• Cloned cattle - still many abnormalities
• Debate in US: can cloned food be organic?
• Hokkaido's GM consensus conference ends
• 95% misled by GM food labelling (Fuji Sankei Business Eye 2007/01/29)
• Science Council of Japan begins discussion of assisted reproduction techniques
• MEXT establishes working group on "order-made medicine"
• MHLW fails to recognize efficacy of Iressa (Mainichi Shinbun 2007/02/02, and other sources)
• Hawaii: GM papaya expands, GM taro research to be banned (Pacific Business News 2007/01/29 and The Honolulu Advertiser 2007/02/06)
• Corn meal company sued in Mexico (Prensa Latina 2007/01/31)
• GM beet cultivation to begin? (Capital Press 2007/02/09)
• GM alfalfa regulation draft voted down in S. Dakota state legislature (Rapid City Journal 2007/02/07)

Closeup
Tabulated Data from ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications)

Contents

Trend:
Cloned livestock meat to be approved for human consumption in US (Nature 2006/12/29 and others)

News

• EU council of environment ministers supports ban on Australian GMOs (Reuters 2006/12/18)
• France fined for not drawing up GMO-related laws (Reuters 2006/12/13)
• Romania to ban cultivation of GM soy (Inter Press Service 2006/12/19)
• Brazilian state government impounds Syngenta fields (GM Watch 2006/12/08)
• Mexican farmers begin seed protection campaign (Latin American News Agency 2006/12/15)
• Codex working group meeting on contamination by non-approved GMOs to be held in US in March
• Kirin Beer uses GM technology to develop BSE-resistant cow (Reuters 2007/01/03)
• Cell transplant clone pig born at ROK biotech company (Korean Daily 2007/01/03)
• Superweed problem becomes serious in US (AP 2006/12/18)
• Australia to promote ES cell research (CNN 2006/12/08)
• Fertilized human ova go on sale in US (Sankei Shinbun 2007/01/07)
• Second approval of an ES cell production project in Japan
• Principles clarified for somatic cell donation in human clone embryo research
• Second special investigative panel on bioethics inaugurated
• MAFF reports on the state of implementation of the guidelines for outdoor cultivation of GMOs
• First approval by MAFF of a GM tree for outdoor cultivation - GM crop approval data for December 2006 and January 2007

Closeup
GM maize for ethanol production

Contents

Trend:
Health effects of GM herbicide tolerant crops spreading (IPS Japan 2006/11/17 and Valor Economico 2006/11/17)

News

• US approves illegally distributed GM LL rice 601 (USDA 2006/11/24)
• Bayer says "illegal distribution was an act of God" (Washington Post 2006/11/22)
• US introduces an emergency motion on non-approved GMOs to CODEX meeting
• Thai and Vietnamese rice farmers announce non-GMO declaration (Bangkok Post 2006/11/28)
• Hungary passes GM crop cultivation regulatory law (BBC News 2006/11/28)
• EU maintains import ban on Canadian canola (Agbios 2006/11/28)
• Bolivia excludes GM crops and declares itself oasis nation of organic farming (BBC 2006/11/13)
• Cultivation of GM crops banned in Brazilian indigenous people's regions (GM Weekly Watch 2006/12/01)
• UK approves cultivation trials of GM potato (Reuters 2006/12/01)
• Food-use GM cotton developed (AP 2006/11/26)
• Cedar pollen allergenic GM rice to be tested on humans
• Russia's largest food manufacturer adopts GMO-free stance (GM Watch 2006/11/25)
• New Zealand GM seed pollution spreads (New Zealand Press Association 2006/12/07)
• Bio-fuel and GMOs (Nikkei Biotech 2006/12/04, Agriculture online news 2006/11/21 and others)
• Researchers call for relaxation of regulations on means of obtaining human embryos
• GM crop approval data for November 2006

Closeup
Themes discussed at the CODEX meeting