parts of the globe. With underdeveloped countries, such are the problems that really need global supervision and security.

Thank you very much.

THE CHAIRPERSON (Mk. SHIV KHARE):

Anybody else? Nobody?

HON. TOYOAKI OTA (JAPAN):

Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.

My colleague, Honorable Yatsu, who spoke before me, but as we are going to shift our focus to food, I would like to share some of my thoughts with you.

As was mentioned already by many different countries, they have their different problems and challenges and different sets of conditions. Now, we believe that food security is essential and maybe, we must have a concept that we must be self-sufficient. That should be at the base of philosophy or strategy.

But as three distinguished intellectuals have said, the population growth is continuing. It really took the slowing down of food production to increase. So, it is quite likely that in the near future, we may face the shortage of food, we might see an increased population who are suffering from malnutrition. And that may give rise to uncertainties, disputes, confrontation and even conflict.

So, food is of such value. We must think of a mechanism that, no matter where you are born, where you are living, you must be assured of sufficient food to live.

Now, Professor Kawano has talked about stockpiling of food, of having reserves. And maybe, that should be discussed from global perspective as well. Again, agriculture is closely related to environmental issues. He talked about slash and burn approach, or we also have suffered from too much input of chemical fertilizers, thus contaminating the underground water.

So what we do today may create sufferings on the part of our children and grandchildren. We must make sure that we do not contaminate or sacrifice this Mother Earth, just to secure enough food for us today.

If you recall, my colleague Hon. Yatsu, talked about the World Trade Organizations role. It is an excellent mechanism. But maybe, agriculture has special, unique distinctions or features that would require, maybe, a different perspective or further discussions on our part.

With due respect to World Trade Organization, maybe we should be getting together and think very seriously about what we can do in terms of food and goods security. And we hope that Asian Parliamentarians can take initiative in this regard.