TOKYO, Dec. 15 ― As more foreign visitors have appreciated Japanese food, the agriculture ministry will soon launch a project that provides them with information on a full range of food experiences in Japan. The idea is, by providing new experiences in rural areas and getting foreign tourists to share their images on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, to encourage repeat visits and generate new revenue in Japan. According to a survey conducted by the agriculture ministry, the top list to do for foreign visitors once they arrive in Japan was: eat Japanese food. In fact, while visiting Japan, foreign tourists spent a record 345.6 billion yen on … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 11 ― Japan’s agriculture ministry has cut the 2018 rice production outlook by 1 point to 98, the lowest level in eight years, affected by weather conditions. Production outlook for table rice now stands at 7.32 million metric tons, down 2,000 tons from the October intended plantings and larger than a year earlier, the ministry said. The survey-based estimate of 2018 rice planted area was 1.38 million hectares, up 16,000 hectares above a year earlier. However, a drop in sunshine hours seems to have imposed a significant stress throughout some regions, including Niigata, Akita and Hokkaido prefectures, the ministry explained.