Category Archives: Food & Agriculture

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced Friday, Nov. 8, that the government will publicize Japanese agricultural products and rural villages during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, when many foreign people are expected to visit Japan. The ministry hopes that Japanese food and agricultural experiences in rural villages will appeal to foreign athletes, journalists and tourists, eventually leading to expanding demand for Japanese agricultural products abroad. The ministry submitted the plan at a joint meeting of the ministry’s headquarters to promote the aggressive agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry and heads of regional agricultural administration offices. At the meeting, agriculutral minister Yoshimasa Hayashi stressed that as part … Continue reading →

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Wednesday, November 6, proposed revising the rice production adjustment program and abolishing subsidies paid to farmers who meet the limit in rice paddy usage. The plan, unveiled during a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party’s agricultural policies project team, stated that starting next year, the government would gradually cut subsidies of JPY 15,000 per 10 ares offered to rice farmers who have managed to reduce paddy usage to meet government-set goals. The subsidies would eventually disappear in fiscal 2018. To make up for the cut in the subsidies offered to rice farmers, the ministry suggested expanding subsidies paid to those who … Continue reading →

  Japan’s National Council for Export Promotion of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products held a general assembly on Friday, November 1, and participants confirmed the council’s target of doubling exports of agricultural products to JPY 1 trillion by 2020. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the assembly that export drive is one of the most important agricultural policies. Abe said he was impressed by the popularity of Japanese dishes when he visited overseas, and encouraged agricultural industries to work on expanding exports with confidence. The government adopted a growth strategy which includes the goal of doubling agricultural exports to JPY 1 trillion by 2020 from the current JPY 450 billion. The … Continue reading →

  20 buses wrapped with messages encouraging people to buy safe Fukushima-made food products started running in Tokyo on Friday, November 1. The campaign is part of the Fukushima Prefectural Government’s efforts to tackle harmful rumors caused by the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident in 2011. The Toei buses, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, are wrapped with advertisements on the outer surface and also carry posters inside, to appeal to consumers that growers of Fukushima are all working together to ensure safety of food products, such as through radiation inspection tests. Food stylist Atsuko Aoki and Chinese cuisine chef Kenichi Chin among others appear on the advertisements to … Continue reading →