The Japanese and Irish governments have reached a broad agreement on the lifting of Japan's 18-year-old ban on imports of sheep meat from Ireland, Irish agriculture minister Michael Creed said on Twitter on Wednesday. The accord came after Japan resumed imports of Irish beef only ...
Former top farm official says Kawasaki knife attack prompted him to kill his son
Hideaki Kumazawa reportedly tells police he believed his son could “harm others” after he found out about last week’s stabbing rampage.
Former top farm bureaucrat arrested over alleged murder of son
A 76-year-old former top bureaucrat at the farm ministry is arrested for allegedly murdering his son at their home in Tokyo.
Damage to Japan's farm sector from natural disasters and extreme weather topped ¥560 billion in 2018
The cost of damage to the agriculture, forestry and fishery industries from abnormal weather and natural disasters including typhoons and torrential rain stood at ¥567.9 billion in 2018, a government white paper said Tuesday. The total also included damage caused by a powerful earthquake in ...
Infectious form of African swine fever virus detected for first time in Japan, in meat from China
The agriculture ministry said the discovery of the virus has prompted a decision to strengthen measures against illegal imports of livestock products.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries exports in 2018 grew 12.4 percent from a year earlier to hit a record high for the sixth straight year, buoyed by strong demand from other Asian nations, the farm ministry said Friday. The preliminary figure of ¥906.8 billion ($8.3 billion) ...
Japan's government warns of 'extremely serious situation' as swine fever spreads to five prefectures
A swine fever epidemic continues to spread in Japan, with local authorities in five prefectures saying they are struggling to contain the highly contagious pig virus.
The agriculture ministry plans to submit to the Diet a new bill for stricter management of reservoirs for farming, after heavy rain that hit western Japan last summer destroyed some ponds and caused damage, it was learned Saturday. The ministry intends to submit the legislation ...
Japan to test system to better manage game meat data amid food safety concerns
The agriculture ministry will undertake an experiment in fiscal 2018 to create an integrated communications system for managing information on game or fowl, in order to encourage people to eat wild meat without concern. The system traces the entire process from the capture of wild ...
What will we eat when all the food runs out?
Last week, the Yukan Fuji (June 20) reported that 20 outlets in the Kappa Sushi conveyor belt sushi chain in east and west Japan are promoting an all-you-can-eat special, with patrons from middle-school age to 64 years charged ¥1,706 (boys and men) or ¥1,490 ...
The nation's food self-sufficiency rate on a calorie intake basis was 39 percent in fiscal 2015 for the sixth year in a row, falling short of the government target of 45 percent, the farm ministry said Tuesday. In the year through March, the self-sufficiency rate ...
Japan to set up certification program for 'washoku' chefs overseas
The government plans to adopt an ambitious certification system for chefs of Japanese cuisine, or washoku, in a bid to guarantee quality at establishments that purport to serve Japanese fare overseas.
