Disaster-hit Okayama governor appeals locally grown grapes

TOKYO, Sept. 8 ― Ryuta Ibaragi, governor of Okayama Prefecture, which was hit hard by the torrential rains in July, has campaigned to promote his local grapes, Shine Muscat and Pione, which command huge price premiums. Ibaragi showed up at a Tokyo outlet to offer tasting local grapes to consumers at a Tokyo outlet on Sept. 7. “The grapes are sweet and luscious,” the governor said. “I was concerned about the acute heat after the heavy rains, but I am relieved to supply high-quality grapes.”

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Japan pushes ASEAN members to ratify seed patent UPOV

TOKYO, Aug. 26 ― Japan has been pushing its neighboring countries to build an intellectual property protection system to protect businesses in the cultivation of new plant species and seed protection in East Asia. The East Asia Plant Variety Protection Forum held the 11th annual meeting in Muntinlupa, Philippines on Aug. 1-2. Member countries — Japan, China, South Korea and 10 Southeast Asian states –agreed to accelerate ratification of the International Union for the Protection of Plant Varieties (UPOV) 1991 Convention in the next 10 years. But few ASEAN members have ratified the convention, as they fear it may increase global corporations’ monopolistic control over small farmers in the seed … Continue reading

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Visitors can taste what it feels like being Umeboshi at Miraikan

TOKYO, Aug. 29 ― A new exhibit in Tokyo allows visitors to experience what it feels like being umeboshi, a Japanese salt plum, in a bento box. The bento, developed by Perfektron, is one of showcases in the “Design Ah! Exhibition.” The exhibit runs at Miraikan museum, or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, in Tokyo’s Odaiba from July 19 to Oct. 18. Bento is a Japanese box that contains all the pieces of a traditional lunch in one small container. And a hinomaru bento resembles the national flag of Japan: plain white rice with a red salt plum in the middle. The exhibit of the hinomaru bento … Continue reading

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Japan’s students report women running farms in New Zealand

TOKYO, Aug. 30 ― A group of 20 Japanese high school girls have reported their field trip to New Zealand to look at female dairy farmers who are running their farms. The Japanese female youth delegates told an audience in Tokyo on Aug. 29 that female dairy farmers in New Zealand are breaking glass ceilings and changing stereotypes. “Women are very strong and passionate of being in modern dairy farming,” said one of the delegates. Another delegate pointed out: “There are support mechanisms for female farmers who got pregnant.” The 10-day trip was part of the Future Young Female Dairy Farmers program, organized by the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC). … Continue reading

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Tokyo to open new wholesale food Toyosu market on Oct. 11

TOKYO, Sept. 14 ― The Tokyo metropolitan government will open a new wholesale food market, called the Toyosu market, replacing the aging Tsukiji market on Oct. 11. The market relocation comes about two years later than previously planned, because additional safety work was required to control soil pollution at the Toyosu site. The Tokyo metropolitan government held a ceremony on Sept. 13 to celebrate opening the new market. At the ceremony, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said: “We will grow the Toyosu market as a new showcase center for the Japanese food culture.” The new market features cutting-edge equipment in enclosed facilities at an area of 400,000 square meters. That makes … Continue reading

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