U.S. Farmers Up The Ante on Japan’s Struggle Against Modified Corn

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TOKYO - Japan, the last major importer in Asia still holding out against genetically modified corn for human food use, could soon be forced into a corner by record corn prices in the United States.

The world’s largest corn importer has long had animal feed that uses genetically modified organisms, or GMO, but buys only a small amount of such corn for human food use.

But food makers are caught between U.S. farmers demanding a higher premium for GMO-free corn and Japanese grocers and consumers, who are the last in Asia still resisting modified crops.

The rising costs and difficulty of dealing with modified corn separately from unmodified could also see more tie-ups in the industry, after Oji Cornstarch last year formed an alliance with two smaller rivals.

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