The agriculture ministry estimates 22 million tons of food get thrown out by consumers, restaurants and supermarkets each year in Japan. What are your thoughts on this?

Wednesday 27th August, 06:30 AM JST

Latest 15 of 31 Total Comments Show All

pointofview at 04:28 PM JST - 27th August

chardk1

Of course it may cost some money to transport some of this food but who cares? People are more important than money. There are planes, trains, ships etc. going everywhere all the time. throw some food on those. Of course the entire 22 million tons cant be eaten but Im sure there is plenty to fill some stomachs. By the way, tons and tons of money is wasted on providing food for those in need already because of inefficient politics so in the end it be beneficial to try and hand it out. There could also be pick up services available at the local shops.
Nessie at 04:56 PM JST - 27th August

Well done, Cleo.

Soup is another detour away from the bin. Keep a cup for drippings and you'll be in soup heaven in no time at all.
Zenigata2 at 05:21 PM JST - 27th August

I wonder why nobody here would think about setting up a network of "food banks", just like "Second Harvest" in the US (http://www.secondharvest.org).
archimech at 09:05 PM JST - 27th August

Blah Blah Blah. Give the good stuff to the million cats you got around here. Nekochan say.....FEED ME! SERIOUSLY....cats need love too....;P
some14some at 10:45 PM JST - 27th August

these are old estimates, now restaurants and supermarkets have reduced their inventories to lowest possible level.
borscht at 11:50 PM JST - 27th August

It needn't be expensive to feed people with 22 million tons of food. There's a group in Boston and other cities called Second Helping who collect the food from restaurants, hotels, etc and give it to the homeless in Boston. They serve over 300,000 meals a year. I believe there's a Second Helping in New York, too. Volunteers collect the food and give it to groups who feed the homeless.

Url: http://www.gbfb.org/programs/SecondHelping.cfm
Richard_III at 12:00 PM JST - 28th August

What are your thoughts on this?

My thoughts on this are exactly: "so what?"
Taka313 at 12:25 PM JST - 28th August

My thoughts on this are that food getting thrown out is far less of an issue in Japan than their obsessive need to wrap ever single thing individually in a nice little non-biodegradable container. That drives me bonkers. I saw individually wrapped strawberries at the local Sakaya for cryin' out loud. C'mon!

Taka
chardk1 at 12:31 PM JST - 28th August

Volunteers collect the food and give it to groups who feed the homeless.

And if there is something the Japanese are famous for, it is volunteerism, public interest work and sympathy for the marginalized members of their society.
whynothow at 01:58 PM JST - 28th August

DOSHYIO KANA??????
IchyaParadise at 03:43 PM JST - 28th August

My thoughts on this are exactly: "so what?"

My sentiments exactly.
outofmydepth at 03:51 PM JST - 28th August

22 million tons - now that is a crime. why isn`t this stuff getting to people who need it?
CaptDingleheimer at 11:22 PM JST - 28th August

That number would probably go down if they'd allow diners to pack up and take home what they didn't eat. I imagine they don't want to be held responsible for the food once it's out of their hands, then catch a bunch of crap because someone got food poisoning from eating fish they left in their hot car for 7 hours after leaving the restaurant. Funny, restaurants in sue-happy America allow it. Restaurant portions in America are so huge, I'd hate to see figures our tonnage of wasted food if we DIDN'T allow people to take home doggy bags (though the portions in Japan are so small, I wonder who the hell there can't finish his dinner in one sitting).
hakujinsensei at 11:30 PM JST - 28th August

Though new to Japan, the concept of foodbanking is spreading.

Kozmoz International operates a food bank in the Kansai area collecting foodstuffs from manufacturers and distributors and distributes it to orphanages, drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, DV crisis centers and of course homeless groups.

In spite of the all the glitter, Japan has a poverty rate of over 15 percent. That means that 1 out of 8 people you see today could benefit from that food. The ability to reduce that waste and put it to proper use to provide food security to those that need it is limited mainly by a lack of manpower. http://kozmoz.jp

To find out more information: http://kozmoz.jp/contact/kyoto-email Or to help the national food bank in Tokyo: http://2hj.org
Blue_Tiger at 11:02 PM JST - 1st September

Its a symptom of the "throw away" and "self, self, self" culture. If I order it, and cannot eat it all, then I will not take it home, nor eat it later, because its not "fresh", like I wanted it when I forst got it.

Too bad, really...