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Vol.29

Spring 2018

Japan’s Passion for Food Excellence

My Love for Japanese Food & Service

East Side Sushi Director Talks about Japanese Food Culture
“I never thought my film would bring me 14 awards and a trip to Japan,” laughs Anthony Lucero, the director of the film East Side Sushi, a film about a Mexican-American single mother who encounters cultural and traditional barriers as she strives to realize her dream of becoming a sushi chef. In 2017, Lucero traveled along the Japanese archipelago from north (Sapporo) to south (Okinawa City) upon the invitation of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan, talking about his film to Japanese audiences.

Cultivate the Seas!

World’s First Fully Farm-Raised Bluefin Tuna
Called the “diamond of the sea,” bluefin tuna has long been popular as a high-end neta (topping) for sushi. However, with the growing popularity of fish-based cuisine around the world, excessive harvesting of tuna by many fishing nations has drawn attention from the international community.

Strawberry Paradise Japan

With 159,000 tons produced annually and 148 varieties registered, strawberries are one of Japan’s leading fruits. And although they may be expensive, strawberry-lovers abroad hold Japanese strawberries in high regard for their outstanding flavor. Exports of Japanese strawberries, primarily to markets in Asia such as Hong Kong, have reached 526 tons (valued at JPY 1.15 billion (USD 10.65 million)) annually, and the volume is increasing. Greenhouse cultivation, one factor in this growth, allows producers to set the delivery time so that delicious berries can be enjoyed even in December, and not only in the April–May strawberry season.

Vol.29 Spring 2018

Vol.29


Spring 2018

Vol.29


Spring 2018

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits the Sugihara House museum in Kaunas, Lithuania. The museum occupies the city’s restored former Japanese consulate and commemorates the actions of the late Japanese Consul Chiune Sugihara (seen in the framed photograph on the left side of the desk), who issued “Visas of Life” to Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. The museum’s purpose is to remind visitors of the importance of peace and humanity.

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