Japanese cheese factory aims to cut it in face of foreign competition

Competition will make him a better cheese maker. Good luck !

I just had a look at this company's website, and their cheese actually looks good. I hope, and think, they can find a way to be competitive.

On the other hand I don't give much chance to the others making their cheap supermarket camembert and other atrocities...

I have to give credit where credit is due; the Japanese are rightfully famous for high quality products. I have never tasted cheese from Japan, but I would welcome the opportunity. Good cheese is one of life's delights.

Out of curiousity, how old is the cheese making industry in Japan? Did it exist before Europeans came to East Asia? I have heard that yogurt originated in Asia, but what about cheese? Also, since a higher percentage of Asians than Westerners are lactose intolerant, how does that effect the cheese market in Japan? Are certain cheeses easier to digest than others, and thus more popular?

Abe is lucky to avoid the competition that should have existed some 20 years ago already.

And what is important with cheese is not the quantity, it is the particular way to make it (ingredients, place for rest, periodical handling, etc).

Sorry to say the picture shows "industry" cheese for me. Totally cheesy ;)

Those producers have all been funded and promoted in an undeserved way by LDP.

Copying will not work here.

possible threats from cheap imports

Japanese people spent 13% of their income on food, noticeably higher than other First World countries, for food produced using large amounts of agricultural chemicals. By that definition, the food cannot be higher quality than other countries. They are paying for inefficiencies in production and distribution, not higher quality.

Lower peoples' food bills across the board and they would have more money to buy luxuries, like high-end speciality cheese from Hokkaido.

"Blessed are the cheesemakers" - Monty Python

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFPIGNua5WM

It is my opinion, that people of countries should not copy but produce , products that are from history, their roots products. Then improve their products from generations to generations with new improvements. The world have too much copies, that even the copiers do not know, what else they should copy.Japan or the world must go back in

terms of food products to their roots and what is suitable with their world first.For example,even if Japanese produce the best cheese, it will never be the same as original

Italian or French or German cheeses.Pls think deeply before starting copies or think products can be cheaper.To each their own.

As long as I can get decent mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar for pizza, pasta, and burgers, I'm cool. What I really want in the dairy dept. is MORE BUTTER. (And half & half. Why is there no half & half in Japan????)

There are some high quality artisanal cheese makers in Japan, but their products are not readily available. Most of the domestic cheese found in supermarkets is characterless and bland. In particular, what’s marketed as “Camembert” is trash compared to the real deal.

Nice headline.  I am sure they can cut the cheese and compete with the best global products.  look at whisky as an example.

Kokuzi - funny - just watched that on Netflix the other day after a long interval. Classic.

And agree with the notion, that making consistently high quality cheeses for moderate prices will be extremely difficult in Japan.

A large amount of the feed for cows is sourced from overseas (costly!!!) and a large % of the cows are shedded for the majority of their lives, requiring supplements, medicines, anti-biotics etc etc that not only adds to costs, but dents the "safer than..." slogan.

Some boutiques makers are emerging, who will hopefully enjoy success, but I doubt that they will be come household names. A little like the emerging wine industry - a handful of exceptional makers working against the odds, producing a good but expensive wine. They will never be able to recreate the volume/quality/cost ratio like other noted wine countries, simply based on climate, soil and topography limitations.

Have read here multiple times that there is not enough butter sold in Japan to meet the demand. That seems strange, since countries in both North and South America would be very happy to sell butter to anyone who wants to buy it.

Japanese cheese factory aims to cut it in face of foreign competition

Interesting headline here. Not Japanese factories aim to cut the cheese in the face of foreign competition. I smell something stinky here.