Growing Public Knowledge Boosts Acceptance of Gene Editing in Japan

Researchers from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization and Hokkaido University investigated the influence of knowledge on the support for genome editing (GE) technology in Japan. The study, published in GM Crops & Food, highlights the importance of transparent policy discussions to build public trust and support for emerging technologies.

In 2021, Sanatech Seed's gene-edited tomato was introduced in Japan. In the same year, the country began selling two gene-edited fish, namely tiger puffer and red sea bream. Despite their market presence, the researchers said that these GE products are still not widespread in Japan. In this study, the researchers aimed to investigate public responses to GE technology from January 2018 and February 2023.

The study revealed that improvements in consumer knowledge boost public acceptance and support. As such, the researchers urge policymakers and developers to continue providing accurate, accessible, and updated information through various outreach and information dissemination activities. They suggest conducting comparative studies with other countries and regions to generalize findings on public responses to GE technology.

For more information, read the study from GM Crops & Food.