Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

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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Japan publishes list of proposed GI foods in JP-EU trade deal

TOKYO, July 23 — Japan’s agriculture ministry has published a list of proposed food names that Tokyo and Brussels agreed to mutually protect under geographical indications (GI) stipulations. The move aims to help farmers from both Japan and the EU to exclusively market their own products, but which the United States may call protectionism. The proposed list includes 71 European food names such as those referring to the cheeses as “Camembert de Normandie” and “Gorgonzola”. The Japanese ministry has preceded the evaluation process, taking public comments on the proposed GIs, followed by a group of experts assessing applications, before approving those officially registered as a GI in Japan. GI is … Continue reading

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Japan Agriculture Minister meets Chinese aides on rice exports

TOKYO, July 22 — Japan’s Agriculture Minister Yuji Yamamoto discussed with key Chinese officials access to more Japanese rice in the world’s largest rice market, when he made a 3-day visit to China that ended July 21. Yamamoto met China’s Agriculture Vice Minister Yu Xinrong and Zhi Shuping, the head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), who is in charge of food safety and animal and plant health in China. Yamamoto asked the Chinese officials to approve new more mills and facilities certified to ship to China. So far, Japan has only one rice mill and two warehouses approved by China. He also asked the … Continue reading

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