Monthly Archives: December 2013

【News】 Area of abandoned farmlands declines two years in a row in 2012 (Dec. 28, 2013)

  The area of abandoned farmlands is estimated to total 272,000 hectares nationwide as of 2012, dropping for two consecutive years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The decline is due to increasing area of recovered farmlands and shifting of abandoned farmlands into forests and plains. The ministry has since 2008 been encouraging local governments and agricultural commissions in each municipality to take such measures to reduce abandoned farmlands. As a result, the area of abandoned farmlands peaked at 292,000 hectares in 2010, and has continued to shrink since then, marking 278,000 hectares in 2011 and 272,000 hectares in 2012. Meanwhile, the area of recovered farmlands has … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Tagged | Comments Off on 【News】 Area of abandoned farmlands declines two years in a row in 2012 (Dec. 28, 2013)

【News】 US asks South Korea to clear pending issues before joining TPP (Dec. 27, 2013)

  Zhezhu Jin As South Korea considers appealing for membership in the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, the United States government is calling on the nation to revise its regulations, including country of origin requirements on processed foods, before entering negotiations. Speaking at a seminar on South Korea’s participation in the TPP talks held in Washington on Thursday, December 12, Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler stressed the need for South Korea to address some pending issues in implementing the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, or KORUS FTA, before joining the TPP talks. Cutler said that in addition to meeting the high-level standard of trade liberalization, South Korea would … Continue reading

Posted in Trade Talks | Tagged | Comments Off on 【News】 US asks South Korea to clear pending issues before joining TPP (Dec. 27, 2013)

【News】 “Nanakusa” seven herbs ready for the New Year (Dec. 26, 2013)

Masaki Shimizu Seven edible herbs traditionally used in rice porridge served on January 7 are put on display through that day at Mukojima-Hyakkaen Gardens in Sumida, Tokyo, beginning Wednesday, December 25. The seven greens grown in the gardens – seri (Japanese parsley), nazuna (shepherd’s purse), gogyo (Jersey cudweed), hakobera (chickweed), hotokenoza (Japanese nipplewort), suzuna (turnip leaves) and suzushiro (Japanese white radish leaves) – are planted together in bamboo baskets, including the one with a diameter as large as 50 centimeters, attracting visitors’ attention as harbingers of spring. Nanakusa-gayu, or seven greens rice porridge, is customarily eaten for breakfast on the seventh day of a new year as a way of … Continue reading

Posted in Photos | Tagged | Comments Off on 【News】 “Nanakusa” seven herbs ready for the New Year (Dec. 26, 2013)

【News】 Government to increase subsidy payment to prefectures with larger cuts in rice production target (Dec. 26, 2013)

  The government will allocate more funds for prefectures with larger decline in government-set rice production targets, so that the prefectures can promote changes to other crops, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries told prefectural governments’ officials Wednesday, December 25. The decision came as part of the government’s efforts to decrease nationwide production of rice varieties consumed as staple food, in addition to setting production limits, as declining consumption of rice by Japanese people is prompting the government to offer various incentives for farmers to grow other crops, including wheat, soybeans and rice varieties used for animal feed and processed foods. Since the government’s target to limit production of … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture | Tagged | Comments Off on 【News】 Government to increase subsidy payment to prefectures with larger cuts in rice production target (Dec. 26, 2013)

【News】 Watch out for snow removal related accidents (Dec. 25, 2013)

  Hiroko Obara, Junichi Miura The number of deaths related to snow has topped 100 for three consecutive years since fiscal 2010, and the situation is getting worse every year. Since lower temperature and more snow are predicted this winter, local governments and experts are calling on people to take accident prevention measures such as avoiding removing snow from rooftops without help from neighbors. Earlier this month, a man in his 70s of Kamo, Niigata Prefecture, died after falling down from a rooftop when he was removing 30-cm-deep snow from a vulnerable tin roof of a work shed all by himself.   According to Tadatsugu Tsurumaki, head of the residents’ … Continue reading

Posted in Others | Tagged | Comments Off on 【News】 Watch out for snow removal related accidents (Dec. 25, 2013)