Category Archives: Others

Minoru Kamata, doctor and writer A farm in northern Iraq, located at 30 minutes drive away from the city of Erbil, is growing big broccolis in a greenhouse. For about two years, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been offering technical assistance to the farm during the fall and winter fallow periods to grow broccolis. In the beginning of this year, I visited the farm to get broccolis to give to refugees whom I would meet when I give a lecture at a refugee camp. Since broccolis are not so commonly eaten in Iraq, I was worried if the refugees would help themselves to the vegetable. However, they appreciated … Continue reading →

【News】 Meat wholesale markets to get ready for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (Feb. 20, 2016) All of 10 central meat wholesale markets located at major cities in the country have launched new projects of introducing a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system into their markets. They plan to reform their total system of handlings and shipments in their markets on the basis of the global standards for food safety management with a view to boosting exports of Japanese meats and supplies for foreign tourists visiting the country. People of these wholesale markets believe that demands for local meats will most increase especially in 2020 when the Tokyo Olympic … Continue reading →

Senior special writer, Masaru Yamada The other day, I saw extremely cheap Italy-made cans of tomatoes sold at a supermarket in my neighborhood. The 400 gram cans were priced around ￥80 each. I bought them, opened them at home and found a couple of cylinder-shaped tomatoes packed in tomato juice. I said to my colleagues that I was shocked by the low price, and was told that it is “something quite ordinary.” Indeed, it looks like canned tomatoes are available at such prices at most online shopping sites. Imports of processed tomatoes — whole tomatoes and crushed ones, no sugar added — totaled 98,000 tons last year, amounting to ￥10.5 … Continue reading →