TOKYO, May 30 — Australia has lifted a 17-year ban on beef imports from Japan which could boost Japanese exports to the lucrative meat market. Shipments of eligible Japanese beef have been allowed to enter Australia without any age limit conditions, the Japanese agriculture ministry said on May 29. Australia banned import of Japanese beef in 2001 due to an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, in Japan. Tokyo had been pressing Canberra since then for resumption of beef exports, and the two discussed food safety conditions for imports. Australia’s lifting the import ban is a critical step to boost Japanese beef exports, as Australians … Continue reading →

CHICAGO, May 27 — Japanese agricultural products and beverage were on display at the 2018 National Restaurant Association, the foodservice industry’s largest annual event worldwide, attracting a wide range of the industry in one space. The NRA annual event took place on May 19-22 in Chicago, the Midwestern city of the United States. At the event, participants had the chance to learn about the latest innovations and best products, make business connections, network with industry peers, and gain insight into specialty food trends. Japanese food products at the Japanese pavilion, organized the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), included wagyu beef, rice, black garlic and sake. The objective was to make … Continue reading →

TOKYO, May 25 — More Japanese people have opted for the benefits of a rural life over the hustle of big city life, a study has shown. Japanese workers who contracted over a 7-month period in the farming sector more than tripled from 66,000 in 2010 to 220,000 in 2015, according to economists who analyzed data on the country’s agriculture census. That is good news after years of young people heading for the cities the average farmer in Japan is now over 65 years old and that figure is rising steadily. At the same time, foreign workers in the farming secgtor, mainly those who entered Japan on technical trainee visas, … Continue reading →

TOKYO, May 27 — Japan’s electric rice cooker exports have kept growing in popularity in neighboring countries, data from the finance ministry has shown. Japan’s electric rice cooker exports reached a record high of 10.2 billion yen in 2017, the highest since they were recorded in 1988. China emerged as the top export destination as it accounted for about 40 percent of Japan’s total rice cooker exports. The shipments to China jumped 11 percent to 3.7 billion yen in 2017. This was followed by Taiwan at 2.1 billion yen. The other key destinations include the Chinese communities in neighboring countries. Zojirushi, Japan’s major manufacture of rice steamer, said the home … Continue reading →