Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

【News】 Seppetobe agricultural festival: young men dance in muddy paddy field to pray for huge harvest (Hioki-shi, Kagoshima Prefecture) (June 12, 2016)

On the first Sunday of June every year in Hioki-shi, Kagoshima Prefecture, there is an exciting rice planting festival called Seppetobe. Seppetobe means “leap as high as possible” in the Kagoshima local dialect. Young men in white costumes jump in a paddy field, which is covered with mud, to pray for the productiveness of the year. The young men from some groups according to the districts they live and compete how well a man from each group can carry a long bamboo rod from one corner to another for about 50 meters without tipping it over. A large figure of about 3 meters tall called deodon (meaning the great king … Continue reading

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【News】 “Wagyu” feeders join fifteen-month national competition to win the entitlement to international publicity toward Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics (June 24, 2016)

The 11th National Competitive Exhibition of Wagyu (Japanese beef cattle) kicked off at a prefectural-level elimination round held in Kyoto prefecture on June 24. The National Exhibition has been organized once every five years aiming to provide livestock farmers throughout the country with an opportunity to compete in qualitative improvement of “wagyu” breeds. The 11th National Exhibition is to be held at Sendai-shi in Miyagi prefecture during five days since September 7, 2017. 517 heads of “wagyu” cattle, the largest number ever, are expected to participate in the Exhibition, named “Miyagi-Zenkyo (national competition),” from 39 prefectures in the country. Feeders of these beef cattle aim to win the national championship … Continue reading

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【News】Two months after Kumamoto Earthquake, agricultural volunteers continuously playing essential part in helping quake-hit farmers make up for delayed farm work(June 14, 2016)

Two months after the Kumamoto quakes, volunteers are still helping farmers in Nishihara-mura, Kumamoto Prefecture, the village hit by the intensity-7 major earthquake. So far (by June 13, 2016), a total of 1,354 volunteers came to the village from all over Japan through the support of the village’s volunteer center for agricultural recovery, each saying that s/he wants to do something for Kumamoto. Their help with the farm work is also helping the quake-hit farmers manage and recover post-quake trauma.

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【Interview series】 2016 Election: Questions at issue – Terumi Yoshida, freelance announcer and radio personality(June 15, 2016)

[Second in a series] <The upcoming Upper House election focuses mainly on economic policies and less on agriculture and rural villages. What will happen to our food resources under the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement? How did lives in rural areas change under the “economy comes first” policy? These are significant issues that are closely related to the Japanese people. The Japan Agricultural News asked three experts what they think are the issues which need to be addressed in the election.> Current politics appear to be working to strengthen the power of authorities and take away the rights of people. Politicians make policies for major companies that occupy 1 percent of the … Continue reading

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【News】 Popularity of “onigiri” boosts shipment of cooked rice in 2015 (June 23, 2016)

The survey conducted by Corporation of Rice-Cooking of Japan, based at Toshima-ku, Tokyo, revealed that shipment of cooked rice has been increasing because of the growth of sales for home-meal replacement and dining-out in the country. According to the interview-based survey carried out on its members of about 70 rice-cooking companies, the shipment of cooked rice by these companies totaled 185.2 thousand tons in 2015, 2.8 percent up over the previous year. Their shipment to convenience stores and super markets increased because “Onigiri (rice ball)” is enjoying a greater popularity among consumers. Their annual marketing turnover of the cooked rice, which is estimated on the basis of 320 yen per … Continue reading

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