Japanese tea machine maker invents portable tea canisters

SHIMADA, Nov. 19 — Drink your tea anywhere, anytime. That’s the concept for Katsuyoshi Asahara when he invented a new tea canister. It resembles a marker pen and it’s fairly compact. Push the pen point gently so that the tea powder is released into your cup. Then pour hot water. Voilà, the tea is ready. There are seven different types of tea powder, including Japanese green tea and oolong tea, explains the president of Shimada-based Asahara Industry in Shizuoka prefecture, one of the tea-growing regions in Japan. Asahara calls the tea canisters “Cha-ckee,” named after a popular marker pen brand “Hi-Mckee” made by Japanese stationary manufacturer Zebra. “I hope people … Continue reading

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Agricultural heritage in Japan: Living and farming on steep mountains for more than 400 years in Nishi Awa region, Tokushima Prefecture

TOKUSHIMA, Nov. 12 – Peak season for buckwheat harvest began in the fields in the mountains in the western part of Tokushima Prefecture, in the area designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries as one of the agricultural heritages in Japan in 2016. The steep slope farming system here in Nishi Awa region is very unique, traditional, and considered so rare in the world that it’s one of the candidates for the world agricultural heritage of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Nishi Awa comprises four areas: Mima, Miyoshi, Tsurugi, and Higashi-Miyoshi. At the sloped fields in a 350-meter-high-altitude Sakurai Village in Tsurugi town, a … Continue reading

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Number of Japanese restaurants abroad reaches 118,000 amid popularity of washoku

TOKYO, Nov. 8 – The number of Japanese restaurants in foreign countries totaled 118,000 as of October, up 30 percent in the last two years, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on Nov. 7. The increase reflects the growing popularity of washoku Japanese cuisine along with the rise in the number of foreign people visiting Japan. The ministry plans to further strengthen promotion of Japanese food in order to help boost exports of agricultural products. The ministry has been conducting a survey jointly with the Foreign Ministry and asking 238 diplomatic establishments abroad to compile figures on Japanese restaurants. The number was about 24,000 in 2006, topped 50,000 … Continue reading

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Japan’s Abe pledges to advance farm reforms after election

TOKYO, Nov. 18 — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in his first policy speech to the Japanese Parliament following his recent landslide election victory, has pledged to keep advancing farm reforms. “I’m convinced that Japanese citizens desire to see implementation of the policy pledges in a stable political manner,” Abe said in an address on Nov. 17. “We will reform the entire agriculture sector so that younger generations can have hope and opt for farming careers,” he added. Abe’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito swept to victory in an October national election, with a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament. He also said that … Continue reading

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Japan, EU stepping up efforts to finalize trade deal by year end

TOKYO, Nov. 16 — Japan and the EU have confirmed that ministerial-level contacts could be set up to wrap up a trade deal before the year’s end, seeking to resolve a controversial proposed investment protection provision. Both have considered separating the so-called investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) provision from the agreement, informed sources said. Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono talked with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström over the phone on Nov. 15. Malmström also talked separately with Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko on the same day. Senior officials from the two will meet again this month, focusing on the contentious issues including the ISDS provision. The ISDS provision allows foreign investors … Continue reading

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