Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

Agricultural cooperative in Okinawa starts marketing its premium mangoes

OKINAWA, July 4 — JA Okinawa, an agricultural cooperative in Okinawa Prefecture, has put on sale JA Okinawa Premium Mango, Okinawa-grown mangoes that meet its new quality criteria. The farm coop created a new standard, which requires the same level of sugar content as Chura Mango — Okinawa-grown mangoes of superior quality that meet the strictest standards — but is less strict on the size and blush color. By creating the new standard, JA Okinawa hopes to secure sufficient amount for shipment and strengthen consumer promotions. To be labeled as JA Okinawa Premium Mango, the fruit needs to weigh 350 grams or more and have sugar content exceeding 15%, with … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Agricultural cooperative in Okinawa starts marketing its premium mangoes

Chiikawa x ZEN-NOH collaboration at Minori Cafe Fukuoka PARCO

FUKUOKA, Jul. 4 – The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (ZEN-NOH) is teaming up with Chiikawa, a popular Japanese manga/anime, at Minori Cafe Fukuoka PARCO. On July 4, the cafe in the department store in Fukuoka City on the Kyushu southernmost island of Japan started to offer a limited menu featuring domestic ingredients-milk from Fukuoka Prefecture and fruits from Kyshu. The menu includes three types of yogurt drinks that look like Chiikawa characters enjoying (frozen!) onsen hot spring. You can choose the topping from fig or seedless Kyoho grape from Fukuoka or mandarin oranges grown in greenhouses in Saga Prefecture. Yogurt made from milk from Fukuoka is placed in … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Chiikawa x ZEN-NOH collaboration at Minori Cafe Fukuoka PARCO

Sho-time on a rice field: Paddy art depicts Shohei Ohtani and his dog in his hometown

IWATE, June 26 — Rice paddy art featuring Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Otani and his beloved dog Dekopin appeared in his hometown of Oshu, Iwate Prefecture. A rice paddy art committee of the Atoroi district in the city formed by local farmers created the image by planting different colored seedlings of seven rice varieties, including Yukiasobi, Beniasobi and Hitomebore, on a 30-are rice field. Many fans — not only from across Japan but also from other countries such as the United States and South Korea — visit the district to see the rice paddy art from an observation platform nearby. The average number of visitors per day reached … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy | Comments Off on Sho-time on a rice field: Paddy art depicts Shohei Ohtani and his dog in his hometown

Eatable bills selling well!

With the new bills set to be issued in Japan on July 3, a snack bread resembling a new Japanese 10,000-yen banknote is creating a buzz. It is made from domestic wheat and produced by a gift shop in Kita Ward, Tokyo, named Shibusawa Ippinkan Tsunagu Marche. The shop dedicated to Eiichi Shibusawa, the legendary Japanese businessman featured on the new 10,000-yen bill, has already sold approximately 1,200 of these special breads since its sales launch in late April this year. The square-shaped snack bread is made from wheat produced in Japan, including Hokkaido, and filled with a sweet potato paste. (Both a banknote and a sweet potato are called “osatsu” … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Eatable bills selling well!

SoftBank unit kicks off remote medical examination service for livestock amid shortage of veterinarians

TOKYO, June 21 — SB Technology Corp., a SoftBank Group Corp. unit based in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward, announced on June 20 that it has started offering a new remote examination service for livestock using smartphones and other devices. The Animal Look will be introduced at 77 clinics located mainly in Hokkaido to support livestock farmers facing shortage of veterinarians. The firm will provide systems necessary for veterinarians to conduct medical examinations remotely, including making video calls and managing reservations. History data such as video recordings of the examinations and drug prescriptions are kept in the cloud system, making it easier for veterinarians to check past examination records when they make … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on SoftBank unit kicks off remote medical examination service for livestock amid shortage of veterinarians