Uema Kashiten, a confectionery company in the town of Haebaru in Okinawa, is riding high after gaining nationwide recognition for its dried "ume" (plum) sweets -- Kanbai Ichiban Suppaiman -- without doing any widespread promotion. Its phenomenal jump in name recognition was attributed to remarks made on television almost 2 1/2 years ago by members of the pop group SMAP.