Japan’s dairy makers to raise prices in April due to rising costs

TOKYO, Feb. 6 ― Japan’s major dairy makers will raise prices for their products for the first time in four years, with effect from April 1, due to a planned increase in prices for raw milk purchased from dairy farmers, as raw milk output has continued to drop. The dairy product makers also attributed the price hikes to rising costs for packaging materials and labor. Morinaga Milk Industry Co. announced on Feb. 5 that it will introduce new prices in 45 products such as milk, yogurt and other dairy products, in which the retail prices will rise between 3 and 8.3 percent. Meiji Co. also said it will raise prices, … Continue reading

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It’s mysterious circles in Japan! Drone captures circles of trees

NICHINAN, Feb. 3 ― Thanks to drones, the Miyazaki prefectural government captures a pair of mysterious circles made of cedar trees at its forest management site. Miyazaki prefecture is well-known for Japan’s biggest output of cedar trees and the Nichinan city’s forest is populated by local Obi-sugi cedar trees. So, the mysterious cycles are in fact the results of a 45-year experimental forestry program by scientists, who planted the local cedar trees to understand the effects of forest density of tree growth, explain prefectural government officials. The circle of cedar tress has now 69 meters in diameter, and there are 12 rounds of sequence in circles.

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Japan to push Fukushima’s food safety to dispel nuke anxiety

TOKYO, Feb. 9 ― Japan’s reconstruction agency, which leads recovery from the 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster, will kick-off a campaign to promote farm products from Fukushima prefecture. The agency said on Feb. 8 that it will start broadcasting a nation-wide TV commercial on Fukushima produce, aiming to dispel rumors about its safety in the wake of the meltdown at the Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s No.1 power station in the prefecture in 2011. It has also set up a new website to explain the current situation in Fukushima prefecture, including radiation and progress in reconstruction efforts. The move comes as the eighth anniversary of the March 11 disaster approaches. “There … Continue reading

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Japan & EU hail trade deal, promoting their produce each other

TOKYO, Feb. 3 ― Japanese and European top officials presented their proudly produce in Tokyo on Feb. 1 when the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) came into effect. Japanese Agriculture Minister Takamori Yoshikawa and Patricia Flor, the EU ambassador to Japan, among others, broke open a sake barrel at a ceremony to mark the trade pact’s entry into force. Tokyo presented Japanese sake from Ishikawa prefecture, Kagoshima’s shochu, a distilled liquor made from grain or sweet potatoes, Yamanashi’s wine, and other local produce. Brussel also presented EU products, including champagne, cheese and olive oil from Greek. The trade deal is dubbed as “cars for cheese” because of business opportunities for … Continue reading

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Kobe beef steak tricks your eyes!

KOBE, Feb. 5 ― You can look, touch and have fun with Kobe beef steak. Don’t forget to bring your camera! Visitors can strike a pose, supporting huge slabs of Kobe beef at the Mysterious Consulate of Trick Art, which was formerly used as the consulate of Panama. The wall painting of beef steak is as high as 2 meters, with painting of a big dish on the floor. Both adults and children will enjoy visiting the trick art museum, which has as many as 10,000 visitors a month.

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