business

Yoshinoya to grow rice and vegetables in Fukushima

98 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

98 Comments
Login to comment

Their rice and veg will be from Shirakawa, not from Fukushima, so new menu will be written as Shirakawa rice, Shirrakawa veg, etc if it wants to specify where the rice and veg come from.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They should offer a choice if you want to eat the rice & vegetables from Fukushima area or not. It should be clearly labeled on menu and customers should be given a choice of paying slightly higher for food that are NOT from Fukushima area. Young children & pregnant women should especially be given such choice. I'd rather see the entire Fukushima disaster region converted to a windmill farm then put young people's health at risk! (Japan has one of the lowest birthrate so why jeopardize?) The farmers in Fukushima could become involved in the manufacturing & maintenance of these windmills. If they can generate enough clean energy, it might be a win-win situation for everybody. The electricity generated could pay subsidies to victims. Let the government & TEPCO clean up the mess first. It's their job!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

That's a good move for the company and for the local farmers in my opinion. I'd hate to see Fukushima be this shunned region for decades all because of this incident.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yoshinoya does not have a plan to transport sea water from Fukushima City Sea right now I guess because it does not have salt and water separation facility there and transportation cost too much. Nippon Senbai Kosha Sei-yen-sho is not going to make salt separation factory over there. . So Shirakawa farms have no choice but to use water from mountain streams and rain in rice field and vegetable field ( ta and hatake) just like any Japanese farms. It must be not interested in becoming first farm in Japan which use sea water, I'd bet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ya, ridiculous.

That they are doing this in the open is ballsy and cynical. It is a business move for cheap ingreadients. Packaged as humanitarian. AND THEN marketed to a population that has been lied to again and again about the radiation in Fukushima, but yet will now accept food from there??

But the thing is, all the others complaining about that on this thread and saying they will move to x store instead, I am sure a lot of the bentos and the onigiri in the conbinis and others are full of Fukushima product.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

1 4.3 hectare plot will produce only the tiniest fraction of the ingredients they need.

Publicity stunt?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Rice, onion, cabbage to grow there, not with sea water but with water. I don;t think Yoshinoya has a plan to transport sea water to these farm to grow these vegetables. The farmers will use traditional way to grpw these vegeables. Rice in Mizuta )Suiden), Vegetables with plain water. Stream water from mountain.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

compared to a few years ago Yoshinoyas menu is really average indeed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When they say help it secure low-priced ingredients , doe that mean they are paying the farmers a lot less than the general wholesale price for those vegetables?

If not, there are plenty of other fields for growing vegetables.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yoshinoya has just announced that it has begun preparing the ground for products to be served at the 2020 Olympic Games. It's corporate policy is to share the ' wealth ' of contaminated radiated products courtesy of TEPCO to all visitors during that period. However, trial shipments will be made to its global outlets to ensure that those who have decided japan too dangerous to visit also have the chance of eating radiated food. Yoshinoya Ramen anyone???????????

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A little radiation in your food is good for you as long as you're laughing,

That's what the scientists in Japan tell us right?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Brave of Yoshinoya, but I suppose its customers are not the most health-conscious to begin with.

Ha! Nessie you're the greatest!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Interesting article on Namie which is substantially closer to DaiIchi than Shirakawa.

So when you're talking about THAT area, you're talking about that area in the immediate vicinity of Dai Ichi and not around Shirakawa. Here's a useful map which shows the difference in levels.

http://gamma.tar.bz/maps/main/ From Safecast.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

this helps play into the government narrative that everything will be okay, when nothing in that area will be okay for literally decades. Cesium half life is 30 years. Even at half the radiation another 30 for half of that, then another 30. Looking like more than 100 years. It's sadly laughably unrealistic and all because it interferes with the LDP supporting the restarting of other nuclear reactors, everyone is in limbo.

To get a glimpse of how stark this really is I have to go to the NYTimes for real Japanese reporting, not NHK fresh. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/asia/japans-nuclear-refugees-still-stuck-in-limbo.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hpw

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Do you guys even know where Shirakawa is in relation to the plant?

5 KM North of the Tochigi border... pretty sure that the vast majority of people on this board would eat food from Tochigi because it's not from Fukushima... But then again everything from Fukushima is bad isn't it?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I will eat at a Yoshinoya at the first opportunity I have. Appare Yoshinoya!!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

JaneM.

Thanks for your kind words. And keep up the good work.

MsAlex

Why 'compel yourself'? To help the victims of TEPCO's criminal negligence.

Open Minded

Not true. Geiger counters are quite sensitive and do indeed detect trace amounts of radiation. In fact, one of their main problems is detecting HIGH amounts of radiation. FYI, the other limitatation is they cannot differentiate radiation types; just the levels.

You can read about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger_counter#Limitations

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There are many farms in or out of Nagasaki City, There are many farms in or out of Hiroshima City. Their products were never prohibited or never rumored contaminated by radiation,. Many people visit these two citie3s. Shirakawa is not even in Fukushima City. If Yoshinoya decided for business profit reason, it is doing the same way Japan ZInc, do.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

All these negative posts about radiation etc......Do you guys even know where Shirakawa is in relation to the plant? Do you know the radiation level of the water and air there? Shirakawa is quite away from it all, its clean and a perfect place for farming.

Good on ya Yoshinoya

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

This seems more like a cost saving step, well publicised as generous act to try and be seen in positive light.

Cost saving or not, this is the kind of vote of confidence that place needs to rebound. Not naysayers making a small amount of radiation sound like the end of the world.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Maybe Yoshinoya had scientists did research of Hiroshima-ken farms and Nagasaki-ken farms along with residents and hospitals nearby to get some kind of info to satisfy their wish to do business there?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

No more Yoshinoya for me and my family. In fact no more Japanese agricultural, seafood and all other products for me and my family. Keep them all for domestic consumption.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Excellent - I will eat there to express support.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Publicity stunt, probably a way to cut cost and even get public benefit to do it. They don't care about the affected locals. Those want jobs, but they are not asking to produce tainted food. Why don't they put them a factory to make the chain's vessel, furniture, etc ?

If Yoshinoya tests the rice and vegetables and they are declared safe, then fine.

They will be declared fine whatever the results of the tests. If a batch is over the norm, they mix with a batch from elsewhere and measure again. That always passes. That's why I don't plan buying Fukushima food in the next centuries. Maybe 80% is safe, but we can't trust the providers.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@JTDanMan.

A Geiger counter is totally useless to check food contamination. I am always amazed to read people who still believe that and even argue with it!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Fukushima rice has probably already been mixed in with other rice from different prefectures. It seems more than one or two unscrupulous dealers have been picking up the rice dirt cheap from the affected area and trucking it to other parts of the country. It may be safe, but who really knows? Now Yoshinoya want in on the action. With the amount of rice they go through on a daily basis, they'll be saving a huge amount. However, they might also be doing the rest of us a favor by buying enough to take Fukushima rice out of the general supply by paying a better price than the aforementioned unscrupulous dealers.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Haven't been to Yoshinoya in ages, and definitely will never go again. This is going to hurt them before it helps people in Fukushima.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Brave of Yoshinoya, but I suppose its customers are not the most health-conscious to begin with.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They should adjust the prefectural boundary to move Shirakawa out of Fukushima into Tochigi, that way all the people who are worrying about eating food from there would be happy and safe.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Unless the radiation is extremely high, agricultural chemicals and pesticides are much more dangerous, I think.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

It's a nice sentiment, especially for the residents who don't want to leave the area they call home but still need to work. And at 80k away from the site of the nuclear accident now likely safe enough to grow food. Unfortunately it's impossible to have a sensible discussion on this issue due to the hysteria and misreporting. Too soon I think and may well prove a costly error for Yoshinoya.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Scary thing is, Yoshinoya has effectively desensitized the market.

Others may source from the exclusion zone perimeter.

What's stopping them?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I don't see how this actually can help the brand.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Actually, I'm quite sure this won't stop people eating at Yoshinoya.

Last week I asked the woman who works at Kappa Sushi where they source their rice. Yamagata, she tells me. I asked if any was from Fukushima. She said she didn't think so...but quite proudly said that her family all eats Fukushima rice now because its "cheap and delicious." I think her and those like her won't give a toss where the rice comes from. Ignorance is bliss, and all that.

On the bright side, at least Yoshinoya is being transparent about it. Kappa is as well. You can find where their fish is sourced and get the stuff that is not local.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

This "dialog" is amazing, radioactive minerals are nearly every where on this planet, granted in some area's more than others but I have drilled wells and seen traces of uranium and have used the water for a number of farms for YEARS and no one has turned into misshapen "turnips or carrots" yet! Oh and just for your information radiation from our sun and the rest of the Galaxy is about on par with what most people seem to think is dangerous and OH right , AND IF, you need an X-Ray for a (broken) bone problem or to find out if you have cancer, wow what would you do without a little radiation then.?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

For any discount restaurant thst does not make declaration one way or the other about using Fukushima produce, the assumptions have to be that they are, and they are not willing to provide a quality assurance like Yoshinoya has..

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Won't be going there anymore!

Matsuya is better anyway!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Nice work Einstein - nice sentiment but look forward to bankruptcy within two years. The Japanese would love to help Fukushima, but that would have required transparency and honesty - and competence in management - right from the beginning. The courage to say "This is no good..this is okay...everything will be checked...nothing will be mixed or blended" would have done a lot for consumer confidence. Remember when they used to have those Fukushima food fairs back in 2011? I used to buy stuff to support the region until it became just plain impossible to trust the government and producers/processors.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

In fact, a lot of the radiation cloud went northwest, away from the plant. So it's not just Fukushima that was affected.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@JTDanMan - If I feel I need to carry a geiger counter around, I will leave Japan. There are other parts of Japan that I can buy produce from so why compel myself to buy Fukushima products when I don't have to?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

50 yrs ago Hiroshima was irradiated and the effect is still noticeable. Fukushima disaster is just 2 yrs ago and you are assuming miracle here. If companies really want to invest than take those people to much safer places and invest. Save PR and quality both.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

All those talking about using Geiger counters to test food- the amount of radiation required to be harmful when ingested is much lower than that in our external environment. Unfortunately, only tiny amounts of radiation are needed to do damage when ingested. This is because the radiation is in close contact with your body and if absorbed into tissue has a greater time to do damage (imagine a long, slow cook instead of a fast burn).

If you can detect radiation in your food with a Geiger counter, the dose is definitely going to FYU.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

JTDanMan You are right and, personally, I wish there were more people like you. I have been buying peaches and cucumbers from Fukushima this summer and did the same last year, too. Unfortunately, authorities and TEPCO lost the trust of the general public and even though they are making attempts to become transparent (with all the publicity about water leaks, radiation spots, etc.) it is ver difficult, if not impossible, to restore that trust.

As for Yoshinoya, the company is going to achieve two goals: minimize production costs/optimize profit, and help the farmers in Fukushima. I cannot see anything wrong here as every company works for profit first - that's why companies are created and exist in the first place. If they can help while doing what they would anyway do, again I cannot see anything wrong. The opposite - I wish them success and hope other companies will follow their example.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

If they grow some vegetable in the Green House and then it will be okay. I don't think foods regulation authority will allow radiation tainted vegetable and rice to use in Yoshinoya or home. If the foods passed radiation test and then I'll happy to eat at Yoshinoya.

They will test on all vegetables and rice by scientifically and very strict radiation screening.

Why can’t we eat the foods from Fukushima if the radiation tests on foods are passed and foods regulation authority was satisfied with safety for human consuming?

I'm totally support Yoshinoya decision to support morally, mentally, physically and material to peoples of Fukushima. Japanese peoples must help those peoples from Fukushima.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

wtfjapan: @JTDanMan its simply math, the chance of radiation contamination in food produced in Fukushima is higher than say prefectures in Western Japan, until there is independent credible testing of all foods produced in Fukushima then I wont be buying anything from there period...

If you are talking about the area directly around the plant, then yes, you are correct. However, as you know, the plant is very close to the coast, on the eastern side. The prevailing wind patterns are from the west and move east. The majority of Fukushima Prefecture is west of the plant, meaning that it is not necessarily any more dangerous than places where the wind would have carried radiation, places such as Chiba, Shizuoka and Yokohama. I completely understand your reaction but the problem is that in automatically reacting that way in regards to Fukushima people tend to overlook places where the dangers are actually likely to be higher, which gives growers in those areas a pass when they don't deserve it and gives people a false sense of security because they are avoiding the more "dangerous" food of Fukushima.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I applaud the sentiment, but not the gross utter stupidity!

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

I used to supply ingredients for Yoshinoya, and I think that there's more to this than cheap produce for them. Specifically, I remember having to source from an unusual location because the president was insistent that they grew the best product. It was also considerably more expensive, yet they wanted it. Not too crazy about buying produce from Fukushima though. If the government and Tepco were more transparent, we could decide for ourselves whether it's safe. Since they like keeping the public in the dark, though, I'm just staying away from anything Fukushima related to be safe.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@Disillusioned. There's a very good recent article on the Japan Times entitled Fukushima, health disaster or PR fail. The experts all point to the latter.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

I guess I'll have to start eating there.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

This is a new form of washing. After brainwashing and greenwashing, we now have patronage-washing . But it is really patronizing to the local people and customers of the restaurant. The second point in the quote below tells the real story. This big company wants to exploit a terrible disaster to find cheap labour, ingredients and conditions to increase their market-share and profits. Boycott, indeed!

“We believe this will lead to support for reconstruction,” Yoshinoya said in a statement. It said the move would also help it secure low-priced ingredients for its beef bowl dishes.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

But, the food from Fukushima should be fine as long as it is grown far enough away from the plant. The problem is though, nobody trusts anything TEPCO or the government says about the safety of foods from this area. As much as this move is meant to be a positive show of support for Fukushima, I fear Yoshinoiya has just committed commercial suicide.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Good move by inovative company Yoshinoya which leads the way in providing consumers with very low priced, appetizing food. They will make sure there is no harmful radiation. And they will pass onto consumers the cost savings enabled by irrational boycotts of Fukushima produce that is tested and known to be safe.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Taking advantage of cheaper prices and putting a positive spin on it to make it seem like they are supporting the farmers out of the goodness of their heart. Clever but it may backfire on them. Can't say I would be sad if it did. Mind you, at least they are being honest about it. I have a feeling a lot of companies here are buying cheap food from this area and not telling their customers. With no laws about it, they don't have to either.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Why buy a geiger counter? To be informed. You have fears, but no data. That makes a bad combination.

My trust of the authorities is not at issue. (As a matter of fact, I do trust TEPCO and the govt to lie). What is at issue is YOUR lack of trust.

But rather than inform yourself, you simply join the hysteria.

Shameful.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Why buy a geiger counter and test it myself when I can avoid it completely by not buying their product?

Trust the authorities?! Are you kidding me? You actually trust the government and TEPCO?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Ms. A

SInce you don't trust the authorities, you can buy a Geiger counter yourself for less than US $100. And test the food stuffs yourself

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Does every Yoshinoya restaurant have a Geiger teller?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

@ JTDanMan, you can feed yourself and your kids Fukushima products. I'd rather stay "ignorant" and "ashamed" in your book than risking my kids' health with potential damage in the future.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Bloody awful stuff anyway.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

WTFjapan

Simpler math: reading a geiger counter.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

@JTDanMan its simply math, the chance of radiation contamination in food produced in Fukushima is higher than say prefectures in Western Japan, until there is independent credible testing of all foods produced in Fukushima then I wont be buying anything from there period...

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Dont eat there anyway. Crap! This is just more Japanese corporate nonsense to show the Japanese spirit. But hey dont hold anyone accountable.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I have a question...when did it ever become ok or when did Fukushima get a green light to farming? This is so over the top insane, I'm just in deep shock! Forget about Yoshinoya for a second, what about the farmers that have to subject themselves to the radiation, what are these people being told?? Do people really think that after what happened and still happening that you can just move back eat the food and you'll be just fine? Profits over people. What's wrong with growing rice or veggies in other parts of Japan, Kyushu for instance. Do they really believe that people are THAT crazy? I it's that safe, then how about the government officials show us by example, grow and harvest the rice and veggies for a year or two in Fukushima, monitor their progress because they say! it's safe to plant! let them go first, if it's good enough for the rest of us! the J- politicians should have absolutely No problem with eating and giving themselves and their families food from that area, but methinks, none of these hypocrites would ever touch or get remotely close to anything near Fukushima. They are just banking on the hope that people will return and start planting, throwing empty promises. Because most farmers are elderly, so what's it to them, just as long as we can get another year in. Rice is a staple food for Japan, which equals millions of dollars, do the math and you see why the government doesn't have any shame.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

If I was the marketing manager for this chain, I'd give Shinzo Abe a VIP card with free, unlimited meals for life.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

NHK news

Oh the government controlled media broadcasting the government funded recovery operation. Call me cynical but screw that for a credible source. NHK is a propaganda pure and simple, when did they last do an independent test of anything even vaguely related to Fukushima?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Ambrosia

The problem is people know little about radiation and care to learn even less. The hysteria surrounding nuclear radiation is the real problem. And all those here who prefer to snark and shoot their peanuts, rather than get off their duff and help the farmers who've been -- through no fault of their own -- slammed by the hysteria and ignorance, should be ashamed of themselves.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

The problem is not necessarily food from Fukushima but food from anyplace where currents or winds could have carried radiation. If I remember correctly, there were tea farms in Shizuoka which registered higher than average numbers but places in Fukushima which are perfectly safe and have registered no unusual numbers. The knee-jerk reaction to reject anything from Fukushima is perfectly understandable though not necessarily logical. That said, the goal of Yoshinoya, however noble it may be, seems bound to fail because of the inherent negative associations with Fukushima and the inability of most people to believe anything the government says regarding this hapless prefecture.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Yoshinoya profit over people again, obviously no one wants to grow here so yoshinoya got the land very cheap.

Wont be buying from here anymore.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

I guess we'll see Yoshinoiya closing up pretty soon. Matsuya is better anyway.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Fukushima is a big place. This is 80km away.

Cesium is heavy and doesn't travel far. It's been found immediately near the plant, not elsewhere.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

if the Japanese government says safe, how could one doubt? haha

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Good on 'em. The farmers in Fukushima can use all the help they need to rehabilitate their tatered image, through no fault of their own.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

It is insane that farmers are allowed to grow food there but the fact that it has been encouraged is criminal. All farming should have stopped there the minute the accident happened but by the first rice growing season they were encouraging farmers to go back to work and they were whipping up national sentiment to get people to buy food from there. Yoshinoya is a despicable company that are thinking of how cheap they can produce food. I am certain this has nothing to do with "reconstruction."

1 ( +8 / -7 )

....to grow rice, onions and cabbages in a 4.3-hectare field in Shirakawa, 80 kilometers from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

I'm sorry but that's a little too close for comfort. I like Yoshinoya's idea but with Tepco's constant mishaps with environmental contamination I doubt anyone is going to feel secure eating any rice or produce from anywhere near that area.

I agree with sf2k's idea of having a national relocation and funding plan to help farmers set up in new areas. This would be a great way to use some of vast amount of money that was donated for reconstruction in addition to the large budget set aside for reconstruction.

Shikoku does have more and more abandoned rice and produce fields. We could use a population boost, too. It's beautiful here just like Fukushima (outside the contamination zones).

7 ( +9 / -2 )

I'm sure it's all perfectly safe. Only last week the NHK news showed Fukushima rice being tested for radiation. They put entire 50 kg sacks through a machine and every sack passed. I did wonder how it could detect alpha radiation, which wouldn't be able to pass through the sack. Also, given the size and shape of the sack most beta radiation wouldn't be able to escape either.

But the important thing is the big "Pass" light kept coming on, proving that the rice is safe.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Unfortunately, Shirakawa ( a lovely place btw) was one of the areas widely covered by radiation. I really question Yoshinoya's motives here. Is it just that cheap?

1 ( +6 / -5 )

This seems total madness for the company .. just imagine how "grown in/near Chernobyl" would sell vegetables in the west ... not!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Would a solution to the farmer dilemma be to move them to Shikoku?? I keep reading about how there are not enough farmers there and entire areas where farmers used to work are now vacant. Maybe an opportunity as well as a national way to help by matching farmers to areas that can be put to work. Compensation would thus receive a return and not just perpetuate negative results.

However a plan like this would require national attention, local willingness to realize the scope of the futility of staying, and acceptance that something needs to be done now rather than ignoring it.

I don't think enough has been either said or done to show anyone that something to remedy the situation is occurring.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

yoshinoya are not doing it because they "want to help the farmers" or "to encourage reconstruction!"

They are doing it, coz its really, really cheap.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

Also note that children as they grow will be more affected by bioaccumulation of cesium than people who are adults. Adult cells have stopped developing. There's a testing chair I read about where the kids would sit in it and it would give off readings to measure their dose. So scanning your kids might be common place in future and be more useful than scanning individual foods. It's a question wrongly asked to pit children's health against farmer's livelihoods. Both deserve to get away from this mess ASAP!! Get them out of there!

Yoshinoya while believing it is helping is unfortunately exacerbating the problems and may end up ruining its business and reputation for what is a good cause but applied without enough forethought.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

Good more for me. Gotta have my Yoshinoya Beef Bowl!

0 ( +9 / -9 )

If I were in a competing business, I would announce that I was going to grow rice in Okinawa, just as far away from Fukushima as you can be in Japan.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

ok thats it !! no more yoshinoya for me

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Even if tests were done by 10 different international groups, completely independent of TEPCO or the Japanese government, and if the products were found to be safe, those people still wouldn't touch anything from Fukushima.

Why have they not done that? With all the previous gimmick and cheating to cover up the amplitude of the contamination, nobody can trust anymore the official communication.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

what irrational fears? The area has been irradiated and contaminated. Contaminated groundwater can seep over decades into the surrounding currently uncontaminated areas. That's not a stretch given how TEPCO reports practically daily now about how it is losing contaminated water here and there. Cesium is particularly difficult to get rid of in the biosphere as nature takes it up like a salt. So, yeah, the more you know would mean the less you'll eat from around there. Also cesium can be a minute amounts thus safe but if you eat a lot it will bioaccumulate in the body. If there is a scanner you should be aiming it not at the food, but at yourselves. Hope I didn't burst a bubble.

It's a sad state of affairs all round, but ignoring science because you want to help others won't help yourself or those others. Best to get the lot moved out and compensated from TEPCO. There isn't a lot that reality can be changed by and political niceties aren't one

10 ( +21 / -11 )

While I applaud them, I am one of many consumers who don't buy Fukushima products anymore. Our family loves Yoshinoya but I am sad that I will no longer be comfortable taking my kids there. I guess I will have to start liking Sukiya!

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Regardless of the nuclear issue, I wouldn't eat there. Isn't it basically fare for pot-bellied salarymen on a 400 yen per day allowance?!

3 ( +9 / -6 )

There are some people who will never be satisfied.

Of course, Brainiac, because the panic-prone paranoid internet hive mind has no use for facts. They "know" that Fukushima is the greatest nuclear tragedy EVAR and they'll keep screaming it regardless of how many normal readings they see.

-2 ( +14 / -16 )

It's a commendable move. I know a lot of people wish to help farmers in Fukushima, including me. I have been buying Fukushima peaches all summer.

If Yoshinoya tests the rice and vegetables and they are declared safe, then fine. The trouble is that many people still give in to irrational fears, such as mikihouse above calling for a boycott of Yoshinoya. There are some people who will never be satisfied. Even if tests were done by 10 different international groups, completely independent of TEPCO or the Japanese government, and if the products were found to be safe, those people still wouldn't touch anything from Fukushima.

-1 ( +19 / -21 )

long term exposure to affected ground water and proximity to the plant isn't what you call investment points. That's when science should trump business

I wonder how long it will take Yoshinoya to abandon these plans. People in Fukushima should be compensated by TEPCO and allowed to leave. Surrounding areas unaffected are the buffer zones and will probably also become abandoned.

8 ( +14 / -6 )

boycott yoshinoya NOW. Its call endangering public health.

6 ( +22 / -16 )

Wow! After what happened you would think that would be the LAST thing they would ever do. But I guess when it comes to money, ANYTHING is just acceptable. Well, Yoshinoya won't get anymore of my money. Not a loss for me, but for them.

4 ( +17 / -13 )

"gyudon say"

1 ( +3 / -2 )

This seems more like a cost saving step, well publicised as generous act to try and be seen in positive light.

13 ( +18 / -5 )

If so, this fast food will produce fast effects of radiation (if any).

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

One more reason to go to sukiya!!

9 ( +17 / -8 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites