Author Archives: The Japan Agricultural News

Japan to review basic law on food, agriculture and rural areas amid growing threats to food security

TOKYO, Sept. 10 – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sept. 9 instructed the government’s headquarters for stable food supply and sustainable agriculture to review the basic law on food, agriculture and rural areas, known as the “constitution of agriculture policies,” with a view to revise it. Agriculture minister Tetsuro Nomura said the government will show the direction on what to do with the law in about a year while focusing on creating a consensus among the people. The points at issue are boosting self-sufficiency of farm produce, fertilizers and livestock feed. The law was enacted in 1999. It has served to set farm policies of today including nurturing and securing … Continue reading

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Subsidized extensive farming increasing in Japan, creating beautiful landscapes with bee-friendly flowers and pasture

KAGOSHIMA, TOYAMA, Sep. 7 – “Extensive management practices” are spreading in Japan as part of the initiatives to keep farmlands, preventing them from becoming abundant, with a small workload. In Kagoshima Prefecture, farmers and beekeepers turned unused farmlands into nectar sources. In Toyama Prefecture, farmers plan to change idle lands to pastures that require less money and work. The farm ministry of Japan started subsidizing such projects in fiscal 2021. People welcome the moves, saying “the initiatives are also improving the landscape,” though there are concerns about profitability. (Writer: Motoaki Omori) “I’m looking forward to seeing our visitors’ smiling faces,” said Shoji Yamasaki, the 58-year-old chairman of “Yume-Hotaru Tabugawa 2016,” … Continue reading

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Farm ministry team warns of bird flu outbreaks occurring every year in Japan amid global spread of the virus

TOKYO, Sept. 7 – An experts’ team of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has released a report warning that outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza are more likely to occur every season in Japan in the future. This is due to bird flu outbreaks constantly seen in different parts of the world such as Europe. The team pointed out there is a “very high” possibility of the disease infecting birds within the country from this autumn through next spring, calling on farmers to take thorough disease prevention measures. Migratory birds carry the virus into Japan from Europe via Russia, and outbreaks usually occur in the country from … Continue reading

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New types of wagashi hitting market as healthy, long-life treats

TOKYO,Aug.27 – Many new-wave wagashi, traditional Japanese confections, are hitting the market, responding to the changing preferences and lifestyles of consumers who want to live a healthy life and have long-life wagashi. Some confectioneries introduced new ingredients to add value, for example, to win over a wide variety of consumers. Such efforts are providing a tailwind to the wagashi market, which is now back on a recovery track thanks to the stay-at-home consumption rising from the Covid-19 pandemic. (Writer: Chika Oyama) ■Traditional Dorayaki for health-conscious people Eitaro Sohonpo Co. Ltd. (Chuo Ward, Tokyo) sells a new delicious and healthy sweet, “Slow-calorie Dorayaki (260 yen per piece),” at its main shop … Continue reading

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Unidentified brown bear “OSO18” attacking milk cows in eastern Hokkaido, threatening dairy farmers

HOKKAIDO, Aug. 31 – An area in eastern Hokkaido with a thriving dairy industry has recently been suffering from damage caused by an unidentified giant brown bear attacking milk cows and ruining crops of corn for feed. Local hunters are making every effort to hunt the bear, but they have not been able to capture the animal. There had not been any cases in the past of brown bears attacking livestock, but since 2019, attacks on milk cows leading to injuries and deaths have been reported every year. Dairy farmers are forced to continue business with feelings of fear amid the abnormal situation. The unidentified bear is given a code … Continue reading

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