Mie Pref. Entity Allowed to Grow Cannabis for Shinto Rituals

Tsu, Mie Pref., April 5 (Jiji Press)--The Mie prefectural government on Thursday granted to a local association a license to cultivate cannabis for making items used in Shinto rituals, including "shimenawa" ropes. It is the first time for the license to be issued in the central Japan prefecture. It was granted based on the cannabis control law. The association, made up of officials of Shinto shrines, initially applied for the license with the aim of providing cannabis to shrines across Japan. But the prefectural government turned down the application in January last year, saying that cannabis is produced also in other prefectures and that foreign-grown cannabis and chemical fibers are available as substitutes. The association, based in the city of Ise, filed for the license again, in January this year, explaining to the prefecture that it plans to supply cannabis only within the prefecture. The local government approved the application this time, on condition that supply is limited to two shrines, including Tado Taisha in the city of Kuwana, and that 2-meter or higher fences are set up and security cameras are installed around the cultivation site. The association plans to cultivate a cannabis variety that has little narcotic effects, with harvesting expecting in or around August. According to the health ministry, a total of 37 entities in 12 prefectures had been allowed to cultivate cannabis as of the end of December 2016. "Cannabis cultivation and processing techniques will disappear unless we work hard now (to preserve them)," Hitoshi Nitta, a senior official of the association and professor at Kogakkan University, which is located in Ise, said, noting that cannabis farmers are becoming old. "We hope to make this association an entity that can play a central role in cannabis productions in Japan," he said. END