Category Archives: Others

Tottori Prefecture starts online auction of Tottori beef in Taiwan in a bid to boost exports

TOTTORI, Jul. 4 – Tottori Prefecture has begun an online beef auction in Taiwan using social media in an effort to promote the local specialty Tottori wagyu beef. The prefecture hopes to maintain and expand beef exports which have recently been declining amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Blocks of sirloin steaks and fillets are put on sale on a Facebook page of a meat wholesaler in Taiwan and buyers write down their bid prices in the comment section. The first auction, held on May 29 on the page specially created for Tottori beef, attracted 76,000 views, as a meat wholesaler live streamed the event, showing different beef cuts and explaining their … Continue reading

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Farmers in Kumamoto severely hit by floods and mudslides

KUMAMOTO, July 6 – Farmers in Kumamoto Prefecture in the southern Kyushu region, hit hard by floods and mudslides caused by torrential rain, are finding their lives changed drastically, with their farmlands and facilities severely damaged. A 78-year-old rice farmer of the Tagawa district in the town of Ashikita, Kumamoto, was at a loss what to do with his rice paddies filled with mud. On July 5, the Self-Defense Forces completed rescue works at a site in Tagawa where a landslide occurred and local residents began restoring the roads. “The whole place looked like an ocean,” the farmer said, recalling the rainfall that became heavier than ever in the early … Continue reading

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More than 150 hectares of Japan’s forestlands acquired by foreign firms in 2019: forestry agency

TOKYO, Jun. 30 – Forestlands in Japan acquired by foreign firms totaled 163 hectares in 2019, the total area topping 150 hectares for seven years in a row since 2013, according to the Forestry Agency. Eighty percent of foreign companies which obtained forestlands said they made the purchase to hold the forests as assets. In order to mitigate concern among local residents, the agency is asking buyers to present the purpose of purchasing forests. The agency has established a forestland clearing approval system which requires companies to obtain approval from prefectural governors to clear forestlands of a hectare or more. The governors give approval to projects that involve forest clearing … Continue reading

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Japanese Tatami yoga mat building buzz overseas

FUKUOKA, May 24 -Colorful tatami-like yoga mats made of Japanese igusa soft rush grass are becoming popular worldwide. They have high moisture absorbency properties and odor eliminating effect. “Their good aroma makes it easier to do nasal breathing, which is an essential part of yoga,” and “their surface never gets sticky even when you are sweaty,” some said. The product is called “Tatami Yoga.” It’s designed and commercialized by Ikehiko Corporation, an igusa product planner and producer based in Oki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture. The mats are made of igusa grown in Kumamoto and Fukuoka Prefectures. Igusa, dyed in red, blue, and all other beautiful colors, is woven in a traditional … Continue reading

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Kanagawa-based botanical garden creating a buzz with “one banana leaf” social distancing proposal

KANAGAWA, Jun. 23 – “Keep one-banana-leaf social distancing with others”. A botanical garden in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, says so in its poster it recently created. It was posted on the walls and the Internet for encouraging visitors to maintain social distancing as a preventative measure against the novel coronavirus, catching the attention of many, especially among social networking service (SNS) users. Ofuna Botanical Garden in Kanagawa Prefecture had been closed since April 10 after the state of emergency declaration, but it reopened on June 9. On the same day, the botanical garden posted a picture of two staff members standing apart from each other with a long big banana … Continue reading

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