Strict hygiene criteria in importing countries and the high cost food producers have to shoulder to meet such requirements are limiting the export of Japanese food, experts said at a recent symposium set up by the Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad, or JRO.
"Our biggest concern is that our exports are not being accepted by target countries," said Yuji Kudo, a deputy general manager at the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, which exports Japanese beef.
Only four factories nationwide match the food management standards set by recipient countries to handle Japanese beef, and it can cost ¥30 million to equip a factory appropriately, Kudo told the March 9 symposium attended by some 700 people.