Japan’s Farm Minister Promotes Japanese Rice in France

Paris, June 19 (Jiji Press)–Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki on Friday promoted Japanese rice at a supermarket near Paris. As part of a Japanese food fair held at the supermarket in Claye-Souilly, Suzuki handed out “onigiri” rice balls made from Japanese rice to shoppers. “As everyone (who sampled the rice balls) said they were delicious, I think we are starting to see a very real possibility of (sales channels for Japanese rice) opening up significantly,” he said. In January this year, Suzuki inspected Japanese food shops and other spots in Paris, with an eye toward boosting Japan’s rice exports. This led to Friday’s rice tasting event thanks to the cooperation of the supermarket and the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO. As an average European household usually does not own a rice cooker, Suzuki said that the Japanese government needs to compile a sales strategy, including specific proposals to encourage rice consumption. At a three-day summit of the Group of Seven major powers in Evian, eastern France, that ended on Wednesday, the leaders adopted a statement calling for measures against soaring fertilizer prices and supply disruptions in the wake of a deterioration in the Middle East situation. On Saturday, Suzuki is slated to visit Morocco, which exports phosphorus, a fertilizer ingredient, to Japan. He said that he will hold talks with Moroccan government officials and others to ensure adequate phosphorus shipments to Japan no matter the situation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]