Tag Archives: News

【News】 Agriculture ministry to promote coordination between health and agriculture sectors (Oct. 16, 2013)

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held a case study meeting on Tuesday, October 15, to report on specific examples of coordination between health care and agriculture, with the aim of developing the agricultural sector as a potential industry. It is the first time for the ministry to hold such a meeting in line with the government’s growth strategy of bolstering innovation and increasing value in agriculture through sector-to-sector cooperation. Some 200 people attended the meeting. “It is very important for the agricultural industry to coordinate medical and health care sectors in order to create added value,” said Agricultural minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. “We will take this opportunity as … Continue reading

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【News】 The ruling LDP party to examine the effects of eliminating tariffs on key agricultural products (Oct. 11, 2013)

  The Liberal Democratic Party’s two panels jointly held a meeting on Thursday, October 10, and decided to examine the effects of eliminating tariffs on key agricultural products under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. At the meeting, Koya Nishikawa, head of the LDP’s TPP committee, said that it is necessary to look at tariffs according to subdivided items under the products, although repeatedly explaining that this does not mean he is trying to leave out certain items from the list of five untouchable agricultural products. The LDP’s committee on TPP affairs and headquarters for regional diplomatic and economic partnership agreed as a party to proceed with verifying the effects in … Continue reading

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【News】 Painted white moth orchids in vogue (Oct. 11, 2013)

    Kotaro Yamada White moth orchids with colored leaves and dragonflies painted on their petals attracted people’s attention at a flower exposition which had been held in Chiba until Friday, October 11. The orchids, named Keshoran meaning orchids wearing make-up, were developed by ArtGreen Co., a Tokyo-based flower and plant wholesaler, and was put on sale in 2009. They became better known after appearing in several events, and some 1,000 pots were sold in the past year. They were also on display at the International Flower Expo which was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Petals are painted by placing over them patterns with pictures and letters cut out … Continue reading

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【News】 Researchers say diversifying sources of corn imports for feed is technically possible (Oct. 11, 2013)

  Amid tight global supplies of feed corn due to drought in the United States, researchers of Central Research Institute for Feed and Livestock said Thursday, October 10, that feed corn imported from the U.S. can be replaced by those imported from Argentina and Brazil, which have been on increase in recent years. In a symposium held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kazuyoshi Matsubara, a researcher of the Ibaraki-based institute run by the National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (JA Zen-noh), reported on the comparison of nutritional components in corn grown in different countries. Although they differ little in terms of gross energy or the amount of protein contained, the research … Continue reading

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【News】 Farmers of tsunami-hit Rikuzentakata harvest rice for the first time since the 2011 disaster (Oct. 10, 2013)

Kotaro Yamada Farmers in Imaizumi district of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, are harvesting rice for the first time since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the region. In Imaizumi, 90 percent of households were swept away and 240 people died because of the tsunami. Agricultural producers’ cooperative corporation in Imaizumi, comprised of seven local farmers, worked to restore farmlands by removing disaster debris, and planted Hitomebore brand rice on a 3-heactare land in May. The rice field does not drain well since the underground drains remain unrepaired, so the farmers are cutting rice crops by hand using sickles instead of by combine harvesters. Tsuyoshi Kanno, 73-year-old head of the … Continue reading

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