Yuji Hosoda Department stores and major retailers are strengthening duty-free counter services, as certain items originally subject to 8 percent consumption tax, such as food and beverages, became tax-free for foreign visitors in October on condition that they are purchased at designated retailers and are not consumed while in Japan. As the number of foreign tourists and the amount of money they spend on shopping are increasing every year, retailers and farmers in regional areas are also gearing up efforts to sell their local specialties to foreign visitors. At Matsuya Ginza, a major department store in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward which is popular among foreign shoppers, sales of duty-free items in … Continue reading →

  National Agriculture and Food Research Organization’s Western Region Agricultural Research Center has developed Koganesayaka, a new soybean variety suitable for production of tofu bean curd and soy milk. Koganesayaka’s period of maturity is about the same as Sachiyutaka, a high-yield variety widely grown in southwestern Japan for use in processing, with 10 percent more yield than Sachiyutaka. The new variety is expected to be cultivated in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, starting next year. The center cultivated Koganesayaka in Zentsuji, Kagawa Prefecture, between 2009 and 2013, and harvested 431 kg per 10 ares, 10 percent more than Sachiyutaka. Its seed size is medium, the same size as Tamahomare, another variety used … Continue reading →