Norinchukin Bank partners with two Southeast Asian bank

TOKYO, March. 23 ― Norinchukin Bank, the cooperative financial arms of Japan’s largest farmers’ group, has designated Vietnam’s investment development bank and the Philippines’ BDO Unibank to be its partner banks to address the financing needs in the Southeast Asian region. Norinchukin Bank offers various banking services and providing financial support for the development of Japanese agricultural sector. The two Southeast Asian banks will serve the overall banking requirements of the Japanese bank’s customers who want to invest and establish their business in the region for the first time, Norinchukin Bank said on March 22.

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Reaching agreement in Japan-U.S. trade talks in August difficult: senior LDP official

TOKYO, June 7 – Hiroshi Moriyama, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Diet affairs chief, said on June 6 that it is difficult for Japan and the United States to reach agreement in trade talks in August. According to attendants of a meeting of heads of agricultural coop’s prefectural unions held in Tokyo, Moriyama, in charge of economic agreements as the chairman of the party’s headquarters for the TPP, Japan-EU EPA and the Japan-U.S. TAG, said in a speech that it will still take time to conduct working-level negotiations. “We can’t possibly (reach a deal) in August,” he said. In May during his visit to Tokyo, U.S. President Donald Trump said: … Continue reading

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JA ZEN-NOH opens new takeaway outlet at Shingawa Station

TOKYO, March. 23 ― Japan’s largest farmers’ group has opened an outlet at Shiganaga St., one of Tokyo’s most affluent district, to offer takeaway options such as lunch boxes and other ready-to-go foods that use Japanese-grown farm products. The outlet, called “Minori Minoru Kitchen,” is part of a project launched by JA ZEN-NOH, the National Federation of Agriculture Cooperative Associations, the marketing arm of JA group, to boost an increase in consumer interest in locally produced foods. In 2010, JA ZEN-NOH opened its first restaurant that use Japanese-grown farm products. Since then, its restaurants and café have grown to 15 outlets nationwide. Japan’s takeaway food market has grown to 10 … Continue reading

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Japan’s Shinano Gold apple is set to go global with yello brand

TOKYO, March. 13 ― Nagano prefecture has signed an agreement with two Italy’s cooperatives for the exclusive permanent production and marketing license of its Shinano Gold apple in five countries of the south hemisphere such as New Zealand and South Africa. The variety was originally created in Nagano from a cross between the Golden Delicious and the Senshu and is marketed under the yello brand, highlighting its distinctive color. Nagano prefecture has already an agreement in 2016 with VOG, the Association of South Tyrolean Fruit Growers’ Cooperatives, and VI.P, the Association of Val Venosta Fruit Growers’ Cooperatives, for the exclusive permanent production and marketing license for all of Europe and … Continue reading

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Multilingual booking system boosts foreigners in rural Japan

TOKYO, March. 19 ― Japan’s online booking system for farm stays in rural villages should provide versions in foreign languages, because the number of foreign travelers in the country has grown five times, the agriculture ministry has said. According to a survey conducted by the agriculture ministry, 63 villages that launched multilingual versions for farm stay booking accommodated 1,547 foreign visitors on average per village in 2017. On the other hand, 142 villages that were available only in Japanese for online booking systems totaled 314 foreign on average per village. It appears foreign tourists who do not speak Japanese face difficulties to book accommodations in rural Japan. The Japanese agriculture … Continue reading

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