‘Nishio Matcha’ granted first trademark in overseas tea market

NISHIO, July 30 — Nishio Matcha, finely ground Japanese green tea, has been granted a trademark for the brand name by Taiwan, its first overseas registration at a time when fake matcha has been on the rise in markets across Asia and in the United States. The trademark registration aims to help the traditional product from central Japan attract new markets seeking high-quality and healthy foods. With its health benefits, matcha has been popular and used in everything including lattes, cupcakes and ice cream. The brand logo illustrates a green deep tea bowl and a bamboo tea whisk, with English letters saying “Nishio Matcha.” The Nishio Tea Cooperative, a group … Continue reading

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Japan’s farm industry suffering severe workforce shortage

TOKYO, July 30 – With Japan’s jobs-to-applicants ratio hitting higher levels than during the bubble economy years, farms are facing a serious labor shortage. The ratio in the agriculture industry has continuously been increasing, marking higher levels than other industrial sectors. While the industry is in need of workers as many younger farmers are expanding their business and more agricultural corporations are being set up, the tight job market spreading throughout industrial sectors is making it difficult for farms to hire workers even for short-term part-time works. The situation is so severe that it could have a grave impact on farmers trying to maintain or expand their businesses. The active … Continue reading

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Japan to impose safeguards on beef imports from August

TOKYO, July 27 — Japan is to impose a special safeguard (SSG) measure on beef imports from Aug. 01 for the first time in 14 years due to a surge in imports of frozen beef in recent months. The exception will be beef imports from countries that have a free trade agreement (FTA) with Tokyo. That means the import restriction will be applied to the United States, New Zealand and Canada, whereas Australia, Mexico and Chili maintain better terms through FTAs with Japan. Japan will raise the tariff to 50 percent from its bound tariff of 38.5 percent, which Tokyo is bound to by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The … Continue reading

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Severe flooding across Japan costs 33 bln yen in farm damage

TOKYO, July 26 — Heavy rain and flooding across Japan in July have caused about 33.2 billion yen worth of damage to the farming industry, the Japanese agriculture ministry has said. The southern island of Kyushu was hardest hit by the torrential rain, which killed at least 20 people and forced more than 400,000 people from their homes at the peak of the rain after huge floods wrecked hundreds of houses, roads and rice fields. The ministry announced July 25 that it will apply a new farm recovery scheme that relaxes inspection requirements on farmers in flood-hit areas to help them to restore damaged agricultural land and drainage as quickly … Continue reading

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Sushi Big Ferris Wheel and Noodle Slider giving new twists to summer dining at home

Tokyo, July 27 ― Toys can spice up your eating with kids and relatives during long summer holidays. So, Takara Tomy A.R.T.S in Katsushika, Tokyo, a division of a Japanese famous toy manufacturer, Takara Tomy, is now showing a keen interest in developing toys for dining tables, with amazing outcomes like a big wheel for sushi and a water slide for somen noodles, both looking and entertaining people like attractions of fun parks. Sky Party Sushi Big Ferris Wheel is a toy released on July 20, 2017. At the cost of merely 10,778 yen, you’ll get your own Ferris wheel for your sushi to go round and round. What’s more, … Continue reading

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