Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

Porridge products proving popular in Japan as quick and healthy food

TOKYO, Feb. 26 – The market for porridge products is recently expanding amid growing needs for the food as a daily meal, with food manufacturers introducing new items. Porridge has typically been regarded as a dish for the elderly and the sick, but consumers became aware of the benefits of low-calorie, ready-to-eat porridge products while they stayed home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies are coming up with new products which are filling and easier to eat. More people are now having porridge for breakfast or a light meal, triggering hopes for increased rice consumption. Major food maker Ajinomoto Co. will start selling on March 18 a new chicken porridge pouch … Continue reading

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Twelve years after 3/11: Seeing the mess after the quake “brings back good memories of the past rather than sadness and emptiness”

FUKUSHIMA, Mar. 7 – Almost twelve years have passed since the massive earthquake and the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant hit the eastern part of Japan. In mid-February this year, a reconstruction promotion manager of a local agricultural cooperative in Fukushima Prefecture (JA Fukushima Sakura) visited an ex-JA building in Futaba Town, Fukushima Prefecture, for the first time after the evacuation order was lifted in August last year. Everything inside the building has been left almost untouched for 12 years, and traces of the turmoil are everywhere. A Japan Agricultural News reporter accompanied him on the visit. “This brings back good memories of … Continue reading

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Japan’s young farmers say they want to talk with consumers via SNS and face-to-face to build strong followings

CHIBA, Feb. 22 – On February 22, 2023, the National Council of Agricultural Cooperative Youth Associations of Japan (JA Zenseikyo) held a panel discussion in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, on the secrets of creating fans of agriculture. Four panelists exchanged ideas on how to boost the number of fans and supporters of domestic agricultural and livestock products to pass domestic agriculture on to the next generation. They all agreed on the importance of using social networking sites (SNS) to encourage direct conversations with consumers. Harumi Sato, a Japanese model having approximately 460,000 followers on her Instagram, joined the discussion as a guest panelist. Three other panelists were Yasuyuki Yagisawa, the … Continue reading

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Kobe beef to be exported to Saudi Arabia for the first time

HYOGO, Feb. 25 – Kobe beef, a widely-known top-quality wagyu brand from Hyogo Prefecture, will be shipped to Saudi Arabia for the first time. It will also be the first export of Japanese beef to the country. Hyogo plans to ship Kobe beef equivalent to 150 cows in a year. The move is an attempt to make inroads into one of the leading economic giants in the Middle East as part of efforts to increase beef producers’ revenues and expand production of Kobe beef. A ban on exports of Japanese beef to Saudi Arabia was lifted in 2020. In October last year, Sanda Meat Center in the city of Kobe … Continue reading

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JA Kinosato introduces virtual market walk to attract distance shoppers (Wakayama Prefecture)

WAKAYAMA, Feb. 19 – It turns your smartphone into a farmers’ market. A local agricultural cooperative in Wakayama Prefecture (JA Kinosato) has started offering a virtual tour of Mekkemon Hiroba, its local farmers’ market in Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture. It allows online customers to enjoy shopping as if they are actually in the market. Distant and elderly shoppers who can’t easily visit the market can virtually walk around and find something new and attractive from the rich lineup of agricultural products in the market. That way, it can also create a new demand. The virtual reality (VR) service is accessible via smartphones and personal computers. The users can move freely … Continue reading

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