Japan's new recipe for exports - feed the world's foodies

I find it hard to believe that a country such as Thailand needs imported Japanese fruits, particularly at the prices exporters probably want.

Meanwhile my supermarket forces me to settle for farmed Chilean salmon, unagi from China and fruit from South America...

Thailand can't grow melons, apples, pears... to name just a few. They will import apples from the USA or China normally, and New Zealand for the off-season. Japanese prices are high, but a collapse of the yen will take care of that.

Didn't we hear from Valerie a year or so ago? Maybe she has still never heard of the regular eruptions of food labelling scandals in Japan - they come round about every 5-7 years, Valerie. Or perhaps she believes that between whiles all is as it says on the tin. Valerie, without credulous consumers like you the world would slow down and maybe stop.

“I always have confidence in Japanese goods,” said a 66-year-old retiree in Hong Kong who gave her name as Valerie

Yes, 'Valerie'. Obviously she doesn't know Japan like those who live here. Perhaps she can also consult with the French who nearly got radioactive green tea because the local government over here tried to hush up everything when they knew about contamination but didn't bank on the French side doing their own safety checks.

Has anyone noticed the high prices of carrots recently. I mean, 220 yen for three bloody carrots! And this even applies to my local cheap supermarket. Luckily, the other day, they put Australian carrots right next to them. Same size and amount, but for 100 yen!

If local produce sold here is expensive, you can bet they'll be just as expensive when exported. The only thing going is that there'll be a lot of rich mainland Chinese customers who are willing to shell out huge amounts. I'll pass.

Agree with Pukey2

Nearly spat my gohan from locally produced rice all over my discretely radioactive green tea this morning when I saw this report.

Seriously though, some of the people who have these ideas about soft diplomacy like this should have a good hard look at themselves. The same goes with Cool Japan - not everyone wants to get dressed up as a wistful manga maiden in a mini-skirt up to here with physiologically impossible boobs.

@article: Once we get to 5 trillion yen, I think agriculture can become a mainstay for exports along with cars and electronics.

Surely, before that, there is a need to motivate young people to work in agriculture. I can't see how the declining number of farmers in Japan will be able to produce enough to make agriculture "a mainstay" for exports.

@inkochi: Seriously though, some of the people who have these ideas about soft diplomacy like this should have a good hard look at themselves. The same goes with Cool Japan - not everyone wants to get dressed up as a wistful manga maiden in a mini-skirt up to here with physiologically impossible boobs.

True, but then the people running the campaign do not expect everybody to do it and the campaign is not about getting everyone dressed like a cartoon character. PR does not work in that way. However, supported by visa waivers and cheap yen, the Cool Japan campaign has produced results which are better then the ones initially expected so I can't see any reason to not give credit where it is due.

It's a good idea, as long as it's not one more protectionist scheme in disguise.

Produce prices this fall have been as crazy as last year's Oshogatsu prices. Glad I won't be here for year-end holidays.

They could corner the market in exported whale meat......

I am trying to think of a product that that Japan can produce that the local market will not consume all of leaving amount to export at a profit. The only product I can think of is wasabi. I can't not think of a product that is unique to Japan that the local market will not absorb. Tasmainia is air exporting milk to China. It will sell for $15 AUD or Y 1300 a litre . I don,t know if the milk is raw or been processed. Now Japan could cash in on this but Japan can not produce enough milk for the local market, as butter shortages indicate. Japan Rice is an stand out for export but JA is a big problem with the power they have over the local farmers. I tell you Japan have a big problem with food production. I see the Pinchinco Centres full with farmers during the winter months and the problem is get bigger. Abe has big problem to fix 1: JA 2: A produce that is unique to Japan. That can be produce in abundance that local market will not consume all of. 3: A Product that will grow in winter because does not have the work force during summmer.