Japan pushes ASEAN members to ratify seed patent UPOV

TOKYO, Aug. 26 ― Japan has been pushing its neighboring countries to build an intellectual property protection system to protect businesses in the cultivation of new plant species and seed protection in East Asia. The East Asia Plant Variety Protection Forum held the 11th annual meeting in Muntinlupa, Philippines on Aug. 1-2. Member countries — Japan, China, South Korea and 10 Southeast Asian states –agreed to accelerate ratification of the International Union for the Protection of Plant Varieties (UPOV) 1991 Convention in the next 10 years. But few ASEAN members have ratified the convention, as they fear it may increase global corporations’ monopolistic control over small farmers in the seed … Continue reading

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Visitors can taste what it feels like being Umeboshi at Miraikan

TOKYO, Aug. 29 ― A new exhibit in Tokyo allows visitors to experience what it feels like being umeboshi, a Japanese salt plum, in a bento box. The bento, developed by Perfektron, is one of showcases in the “Design Ah! Exhibition.” The exhibit runs at Miraikan museum, or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, in Tokyo’s Odaiba from July 19 to Oct. 18. Bento is a Japanese box that contains all the pieces of a traditional lunch in one small container. And a hinomaru bento resembles the national flag of Japan: plain white rice with a red salt plum in the middle. The exhibit of the hinomaru bento … Continue reading

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Japan’s students report women running farms in New Zealand

TOKYO, Aug. 30 ― A group of 20 Japanese high school girls have reported their field trip to New Zealand to look at female dairy farmers who are running their farms. The Japanese female youth delegates told an audience in Tokyo on Aug. 29 that female dairy farmers in New Zealand are breaking glass ceilings and changing stereotypes. “Women are very strong and passionate of being in modern dairy farming,” said one of the delegates. Another delegate pointed out: “There are support mechanisms for female farmers who got pregnant.” The 10-day trip was part of the Future Young Female Dairy Farmers program, organized by the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC). … Continue reading

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Tokyo to open new wholesale food Toyosu market on Oct. 11

TOKYO, Sept. 14 ― The Tokyo metropolitan government will open a new wholesale food market, called the Toyosu market, replacing the aging Tsukiji market on Oct. 11. The market relocation comes about two years later than previously planned, because additional safety work was required to control soil pollution at the Toyosu site. The Tokyo metropolitan government held a ceremony on Sept. 13 to celebrate opening the new market. At the ceremony, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said: “We will grow the Toyosu market as a new showcase center for the Japanese food culture.” The new market features cutting-edge equipment in enclosed facilities at an area of 400,000 square meters. That makes … Continue reading

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Japan food exports rise in July, led by beef and dairy products

TOKYO, Sept. 13 ― Japan’s food exports rose for the fifth consecutive month in July, thanks largely to appetite for wagyu beef and dairy products in neighboring Asian countries, official data has showed. Total shipments of agriculture products, processed foods and seafood rose 18% to 70.5 billion yen in July, which was 10.9 billion yen higher in the same month a year earlier, according to the agriculture ministry. The primary agricultural products, which constitute half of total agricultural exports, increased 16% to 45.8 billion yen. China was by far the largest growth market increasing by 40 percent in July from a year ago, or 10.1 billion yen. Exports to Hong … Continue reading

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