Category Archives: Food & Agriculture

【News】 Japan-China Agricultural Products Trade Council held to agree boosting demands for rush grass products (Sep. 14, 2016)

The meeting of Japan-China Agricultural Products Trade Council was held in Tokyo on September 13. Participants of the meeting represented respective governments of the two countries, Japanese Igusa (rush grass) producers’ organization, Japanese importing companies of Igusa Tatami mats, and Chinese Tatami mats exporting companies. The participants of the two countries exchanged the latest information on production of Igusa and Tatami mats, demands for these products, and their volume of trade between Japan and China. They wrapped up the meeting by confirming that it would be more necessary for them to take measures necessary to boost consumption of rush grass products as well as stimulate demands for the products in … Continue reading

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【News】 Agricultural Chemicals Registration System to be revised in fiscal 2017 for increasing use of generic chemicals in Japan (Sep. 13, 2016)

Government sources revealed on September 12 that the Agricultural Chemicals Registration System based on the Agricultural Chemicals Control Act will be revised in order to promote use of low-price generic chemicals (patent-expired) among local farmers. It is expected that the Government will simplify the registration rules by following those in the United States and European countries where use of generic chemicals has been spreading among farmers. The new Registration System will start in fiscal 2017. The government officials hope agricultural chemical manufacturers will be able to considerably reduce costs of registering new chemicals with their safety being assured under the revised Registration System. The Government will be required to ensure … Continue reading

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【News】 Wine festival held by JA Shonai-Tagawa in Yamagata prefecture: Blessing of Mount Gassan or moon’s mountain (Sep. 5, 2016)

Shonai-Tagawa Agricultural Cooperative (JA), headquartered at Tsuruoka-shi, Yamagata prefecture, held “Mount Gassan Wine Festival” in the city on August 4. The Mount Gassan (literally, moon’s mountain), one of sacred mountains in Japan, is famous for its ski slope and pure water. They served the festival visitors with “all-you-can-drink” wines and grape juices. Most favorite wine is “Mount Gassan Wine,” which is made from crimson glory vine and wine grapes grown by local farmers. People of the JA Shonai-Tagawa provided a publicity message on their wine producing area to more than 2000 visitors gathering from both inside and outside of the Yamagata prefecture. The JA plans to establish a bigger producing … Continue reading

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【News】 Vegetable producers horribly battered by Typhoon No.10 in Tokachi province, Hokkaido (Sep. 3, 2016)

A number of vegetable producers at Tokachi province in the south-eastern part of Hokkaido, heavily battered by Typhoon No.10 at the end of this August, had their vegetables totally damaged. Most of the vegetables growing in the areas hit by the Typhoon have been covered by floodwater and mud. Some farmers began to clean up the vegetables scattered around on the farm, but other producers are keeping away from their farmlands, where the floodwater has not yet receded. There are some vegetable farms escaping from heavy damages, but it is still difficult for owners of these farms to begin insect pest controlling. They are worried there may be an outbreak … Continue reading

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【Opinion】Learning from Britain’s dairy industry crisis (Sept. 2, 2016)

[By Nobuhiro Suzuki, Professor of the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences] Recently, Japan is repeatedly hit by butter shortages. The Regulatory Reform Council has attributed the shortage to dwindling income of dairy farmers who are unable to market their products freely because of the government’s system of designating organizations which control collection and sales of raw milk. But is this really true? My friend who teaches at University of Florida told me that the United States government treats the dairy industry almost like public utility companies such as electricity and gas, as it is necessary to maintain an orderly marketing of raw milk. In Western countries, … Continue reading

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