[By Yasushi Tange, visiting researcher at Norinchukin Research Institute] Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate marked 38 percent on a calorie basis in fiscal 2016, down 1 percentage point from a year before, posting a year-on-year drop for the first time in six years. The figure was the second-lowest level ever after 37 percent recorded in fiscal 1993, when the country suffered a serious rice shortage following bad weather. The self-sufficiency rate, which was 73 percent in fiscal 1965, has been on a declining trend since then. Some criticize that an obsession with food sufficiency figures may be off the mark, citing such reasons as the fact that fruit and vegetables, although … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 13 — New songs by late Haruo Minami, Japanese iconic enka singer, has been released. The songs feature Japanese rice flour, a staple food that doesn’t have gluten. As the incidence of gluten sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome increases, the global demand for rice flour as a gluten-free alternative to wheat products, such as bread and snack foods, is expected to rise. So, the Japan Rice Flour Association took a bold step: make a song to tell how rice flour is healthy and good for you. Seven songs are included in a CD album released on Dec. 13 by Teichiku Entertainment. The Japanese company collaborated with the agriculture … Continue reading →