The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry will sponsor public discussions on genetically modified foods so that various views are reflected in policymaking, ministry officials said Tuesday.
The ministry plans to hold four meetings from September to November in Tokyo and in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.
At the meetings, citizens without expert knowledge in the area to be discussed will be invited to discuss issues including the impact of technology on society.
The participants will base their discussions on information provided by experts and make proposals on what kind of policies should be pursued.
Around 15 people will attend the meetings, with the ministry calling on people over 20 who can attend all four meetings to apply.
By holding the meetings, the farm ministry hopes to gain the public's trust and understanding on genetically modified foods.
It will be the first time for the government to sponsor public "consensus-building meetings."
Denmark started holding such meetings in the mid 1980s to better reflect the opinions of the general public in policies. The move spread to other European countries in the 1990s.