(13 Nov 2010)
November 13 2010
1. Various close up shots of protesters marching with placards
2. Protesters marching on stilts
3. MId of protesters
4. Police officers standing to attention in a line
5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Noriko Kyogoku, protester:
"We are protesting to a society in which we have to be concerned about differentiation in class. We want to regain the life where there was equality in this society."
November 12 2010
6. Close up of cabbage field
7. Tilt up to farmer fertilising cabbage field
8. Wide of cabbage field
9. Various of farmer working in the vegetable field
10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Ryouichi Fujimaki, farmer:
(Commenting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership)
"As a farmer, I am absolutely against it. How can we compete with other countries in terms of cost?"
11. Various shots of another local farmer working in a field
12. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Manabu Fujimaki, farmer:
(Commenting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership)
"I am in favour of it. I would prioritise the importance of Japan not falling behind by the rest of the nine countries."
13. Various of vegetable field
STORYLINE
Protesters in Japan opposed to lifting trade barriers marched in Yokohama on Saturday to voice their opposition to the Asia Pacific Cooperation (APEC) meetings being held in the port city.
The protestors, some of whom carried placards and walked on stilts, chanted and carried banners as they marched against the APEC conference where world leaders from 21 nations are meeting.
The Japanese government is pursuing the possibility of joining the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which so far has nine negotiating nations working towards the goal of a free trade zone in the Asia Pacific region.
At the protest participants expressed fear that further trade integration would degrade local cultures and that cheap labour and mass production would threaten their businesses and way of life.
"We are protesting to a society in which we have to be concerned about differentiation in class. We want to regain the life where there was equality in this society," one protester, Noriko Kyogoku said
Most Japanese farmers are opposed to the TPP because they are worried that cutting import tariffs will allow cheaper imported agricultural products to undermine their market share.
"As a farmer, I am absolutely against it. How can we compete with other countries in terms of cost?" Yokohama farmer Ryouichi Fujimaki said.
However, another farmer Manabu Fujimaki believes the trade agreement might provide a broader market for high end goods and foods.
"I am in favour of it. I would prioritise the importance of Japan not falling behind by the rest of the nine countries," Fukimaki said.
The TPP now includes only four small economies Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore but the US, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Peru are in talks to join them.
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