More pubs hanging green lanterns to advertise domestic fare

By Shigemi Kotaka

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13 Comments

hikikomori08 at 09:07 AM JST - 25th July

...a growing Japanese concern about food safety following a food poisoning incident involving ‘‘gyoza’’ dumplings made in China earlier this year.

One of the most well executed pieces of sabotage I've seen. How to compete with cheaper foreign prices? Fear campaign. Why yesterday alone (土用の丑の日) saw Japanese eel (double or sometimes triple the price of it's Chinese counterpart, indistinguishable by most by the way bar for the fact that the food supplier writes hey this is Japanese on the label) sell far better.
hikikomori08 at 09:10 AM JST - 25th July

Sorry must make a correction to the original here.

If they lie, customers will get even with them by distancing themselves from the eateries and pubs.

Should read

If they get caught, customers will get even with them by distancing themselves from the eateries and pubs.
tokyotom at 02:26 PM JST - 25th July

love them little red lantern pubs, green would confuse me (not sure if I would believe the "country of origin" as suggested above either
Balefire at 02:34 PM JST - 25th July

I have to agree with the "lie" vs. "get caught", especially in light of all the food related recent counterfeiting/lying episodes.

It will be pretty hard to find/sell many soy bean based products(including soy sauce and miso) using only domestic sources.

The proportion of marine products caught domestically (as opposed to brought over or imported by Japanese ships or companies)is very small, too.

I also have to wonder about how many people who frequent *izakaya *will be willing to pay the much higher prices for domestically sourced veggies, meat and fish.
LIBERTAS at 02:47 PM JST - 25th July

"I have to agree with the "lie" vs. "get caught", especially in light of all the food related recent counterfeiting/lying episodes. I also have to wonder about how many people who frequent *izakaya *will be willing to pay the much higher prices for domestically sourced veggies, meat and fish."

Bang on! I'll wager that the izakaya will levy the higher domestic prices, while destroying the "Made in China" labels out back!
dennis0bauer at 03:10 PM JST - 25th July

i thought rd lights ment something else, now i understand! i will keep eating the cheapstuff!
jammer at 01:28 AM JST - 26th July

If the food I buy at supermarkets is not safe to eat then I want the company destroyed along with its product. I don't care who is at fault. I don't care where the food comes from. I don't care what pollitical party is in power. I don't care about the conspiracies. I don't care who makes or who loses money.

Until the gyoza incident is proven to be sabotage, the safest/reasonable reaction is to come down hard on all violators. If it is not sabotage then it clearly exists in other companies.

I would be totally satisfied to see my tax yen go towards increasing security of the food system.
nimbus at 07:41 AM JST - 26th July

Fear sells.
GW at 08:30 AM JST - 26th July

no problem here with the eat localy grown/raised idea.

but to equate that with food safety, come on, in that regard its nothing but lies, lies, & more damned lies. J-produce is rarely checked for anything, just sold, got news for you J-folks, that it no way constitutes safe food
bamboohat at 10:19 AM JST - 26th July

I remember when the "fat free" craze hit in california a few years back. A few people jumped on the true "fat free" bandwagon, but most places just put "fat free" stickers on foodstuffs, regardless of the fat content.

I imagine pub owners will do the same. Hang the green lantern, when maybe only one or two items are locally grown.

It's a win/win. Owner gets more business, eaters get to feel more nationalistic, and pretend they are living an eco life.
RepublicofTexas at 12:40 PM JST - 26th July

Using domestic/local products is a goof idea from an eco-perspective, as it lessens the amount of oil/gas used in transport. The preference for domestic products as a concept isn't a bad thing.
pointofview at 09:11 PM JST - 28th July

Its always good to support ones farmers, fishermen etc. but hopefully this doesnt come back to bite Japan in the BUTT if other countries decide to not use Japanese products. Also, could you imagine if the oil producing nations said "Sorry Japan but oil is becoming scarce so we`re keeping it for ourselves to support domestic industry." Ouch!
Nessie at 01:55 PM JST - 30th July

Other countries need to be more self-sufficient in cars and consumer electronics. Like these, pork is not a necessity.