Category Archives: Others

Japan-made bananas attracting attention with development of nontropical plants

TOKYO, June 23 – Along with the development of nontropical banana plants that can survive cold weather, banana production is increasing in various parts of Japan, the nation which imports 99 percent of bananas it consumes. The bananas are cultivated using plants developed by Tomoiki BIO, a seeds and plants manufacturer in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. The new technology involves freezing banana plants’ growing point by decreasing the temperature of a freezer to minus 60 degrees Celsius, then defrosting and cultivating them. The plants that went through this freezing procedure are found to be resistant to cold weather and pests. Kagoshima Prefecture – traceability appealing to food safety conscious consumers Kami … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Others | Comments Off on Japan-made bananas attracting attention with development of nontropical plants

Heavy floods and landslides leave more than 200 dead in Japan

SOJA, July 10 ― The Japanese government has issued new alerts over record rains that have killed more than 200 people and left dozens missing in central and western Japan. The torrential rains caused heavy floods and landslides across central and western parts of the country, prompting evacuation orders for nearly four million people. In Soja city, Okayama prefecture, the swirling Takahashi river water burst its 5-meter banks and swept away all the efforts of fruit trees and greenhouses that the Kariya family had made. “There was a greenhouse here. Where has it gone?” said 69-year-old Yuriko Kariya, with a big sigh. Her husband, Mamoru Kariya, 71, said he has … Continue reading

Posted in Others, Photos | Comments Off on Heavy floods and landslides leave more than 200 dead in Japan

Osaka earthquake shakes farm businesses in western Japan

IBARAKI, June 20 — One day after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Osaka, Japan’s second largest metropolitan area, the vulnerability of many elements of urban infrastructure has been exposed. Four people died and more than 400 others were injured after the earthquake. The Osaka earthquake hit during the morning rush hour and affected many businesses, including farming operations. The agriculture ministry and the farmers’ co-operative JA group rushed to assist and assess quake damages. The meteorological agency warned additional earthquakes in the form of aftershocks of the magnitude 6.1 earthquake.

Posted in Others, Photos | Comments Off on Osaka earthquake shakes farm businesses in western Japan

Japan regional carrier Air Do offers Yubari melon soda for free

TOKYO, June 9 — Air Do, a regional carrier based in Hokkaido, offers a local specialty drink for free: Yubari melon soda. Yubari city in the northern island of Hokkaido is famous for its melons and the name is in Japan’s geographical indication systems. The drink was jointly developed by Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage, a Nagoya-based beverage maker, and the country’s largest farmers’ co-operative JA group. Yubari melon soda was released in 2009.

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Others | Comments Off on Japan regional carrier Air Do offers Yubari melon soda for free

Hokkaido ties with New Zealand to rebuild sheep production

KUSHIRO, June 4 — Japanese sheep farmers have launched a project with New Zealand to rebuild their sustainable sheep production base in the northern island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido has a local specialty: “Genghis Khan” lamb, a shareable hot platter of lamb medallions surrounded by grilled vegetables. As domestic demand for sheep meat has grown, Japanese lamb imports reached more than 20,000 tons in 2017. On the other hand, the country’s lamb production was merely 152 tons in 2014. Hokkaido was once home to sheep farming, but a flood of imports forced sheep farmers out of the industry, and today it has only 200 farmers with 11,529 sheep. That’s why Hokkaido … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Others | Comments Off on Hokkaido ties with New Zealand to rebuild sheep production