Category Archives: Food & Agriculture

There was a spreading feeling of relief among citrus farmers of Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, as the emergency pest control for oriental fruit flies, a highly destructive pest of citrus plants, ended on Thursday, July 14. For seven months since December, when the farm ministry banned shipments of Tankan oranges outside the island, the farmers had to continue disposing of all fruits in an effort to get rid of the flies altogether. Now they are preparing for next year’s shipments with a strong determination not to let the species enter the island ever again. A severe shock hit the island in November last year, as the farm ministry … Continue reading →

Iced beverages added with sliced cuts of fruits are now receiving attention this summer. Some of beverage manufacturers are suggesting a new fashion of drinking iced tea or apple cider vinegar added with fresh fruits such as blueberry, lemon, kiwi fruit, strawberry and the like. Such an iced drink served in a tumbler or cup has also a “cool” appearance in the summer season. Unilever Japan Customer Marketing Co., Ltd., well known with its brand of Lipton, based at Meguro-ku, Tokyo, is marketing a new drink of iced tea named “Fruits in Tea” at its special shop located in the busy streets of Omotesando, Tokyo. The sales will continue until … Continue reading →

The Japan Tourism Agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism released on July 20 a result of the consumption trend survey for foreigners visiting Japan during the period from April to June 2016. Total spending by international tourists in the three months grew 7.2 percent to 953.3 billion yen, the Tourism Agency said. However, the so-called bakugai, literally “explosive buying” in Japan by Chinese tourists, which had driven the growth of overall spending by foreign visitors in recent years, has begun to slow down. And their spending declined to 353 billion yen in the last three months, down 1.5 percent. The decline took place mainly because the … Continue reading →

Outdoor beer gardens are now drawing attention of the industries concerned, when an extremely hot summer is expected to come to Japan. Takashimaya Yokohama Store, one of the most popular department stores in Kanagawa prefecture, opened its beer garden named “Farmers’ Beer Garden” on the roof floor this June for the first time during past 58 years since its foundation. In the beer garden opened at Nishi-ku of Yokohama city in the prefecture, farm products are playing not a supporting role, but a leading role, so as to differentiate the garden from the existing ones. The new beer garden is gaining popularity especially among health-oriented people. Ten kinds of vegetables … Continue reading →