NPO seeks to teach Japan virtues of 'waste not, want not'
TOKYO —
Nineteen million tons. That’s how much food Japan throws away every year, according to the Ministry of the Environment. As if that weren’t bad enough, up to 9 million tons of this food is disposed of before its expiration date. In light of the 1 billion malnourished people in the world, this situation is, obviously, a moral disgrace. Yet it also presents an environmental threat—consider the amount of energy and resources wasted in the production, packaging and shipping of a product that ends up moldering in a landfill or burnt in an incinerator.
Sadly, Japan has been slow to get behind the idea of food banking, which has become commonplace in the West. Yet that situation is starting to change, thanks to a Tokyo-based NPO dedicated to reducing waste and helping the 650,000 people around the country who lack food security.
Second Harvest Japan (2HJ) became the country’s first legally incorporated nonprofit food bank back in July of 2002, and it still remains one of the leading such groups in Tokyo.
“Being a pioneer in this field in Japan is both challenging and rewarding,” says executive director Charles McJilton. “The challenge is to explain both the system itself and the need for the system in a way that reaches the listener. One way is focusing on the ‘mottainai’ aspect that Japanese can relate to.”
Many people are under the misimpression that food waste is all about table scraps or packaged goods which have reached their expiration date. But in reality, the majority comes from retail and production sources. In fact, some of 2HJ’s biggest donors are companies like Costco, Nichirei and Nestle Japan.
Food banking steps in before a perishable item is no longer salable and helps distribute it to needy people. “Everyone feels good to know that perfectly safe food can have a positive impact in society [even] if it will not be sold,” McJilton says.
Nor is it just the homeless or destitute who benefit from 2HJ’s work. “The largest group [of people in need] consists of mostly single-parent households and elderly people — 53% and 43%, respectively,” says McJilton.
2HJ tries to reach as many people as possible by splitting their organization into four sections with four distinct focuses.
The Hot Meal Program prepares and distributes between 700 and 800 meals each week to homeless people in Ueno Park. “I was amazed that the queue never seemed to grow shorter as we were serving,” says volunteer Simon Skill, from Kanagawa. “But everybody who came got a meal, and we even had enough to give out some second servings. It’s a really rewarding experience.”
2HJ’s Food Banking division ensures that the donations it receives reach agencies and welfare institutions, including orphanages, shelters for victims of domestic violence and groups that support single mothers.
The Harvest Pantry effort assists households that are in need of emergency groceries. The food is shipped to people who have been introduced or sponsored by partner agencies.
“Those who benefit from this [temporary] service are often very grateful, and we believe that the human connection formed helps them feel safe and ease the worry felt over other concerns,” says McJilton. “Providing such peace of mind seems like a small thing, but we feel that it is among our most important activities.”
2HJ’s fourth branch focuses on advocacy and development, including liaising with donors and performing outreach and education.
The group relies heavily on corporate donors, but there are many ways for individuals to get involved. In addition to helping prepare and distribute hot meals, volunteers can run a food drive at their school or workplace. Volunteers are also needed at the 2HJ warehouse to clean the pots and utensils used in the hot meals program. Of course, donations of food and money are also appreciated, as well as anything that’s currently on 2HJ’s online wish list.
“Together, we can work to create a safety net for those in need,” McJilton says. “A society truly of ‘food for all people.’”
To find out more about Second Harvest Japan, see www.2hj.org.
This story originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp).
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25 Comments
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kyoken
It is only a moral disgrace for societies that have an universal understanding of moral. The Japanese morals are situational and relationship dependent.
The world out there consists of 他人 (tanin), unrelated people no one has any (moral) obligations to. Hence the there is no pressure point to move the Japanese soul to consider wasting food in the light of starvation somewhere far away.
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illsayit
While I feel the ideology is good, I wonder if the needy, the single parents and the elderly, isnt rather worded differently. Like those in need of someone who can prepare the food, and offer their time more than the food, as the case of the single parent would be. Or the elderly if it isnt more the topic of delivery and transport? So while there is abundance, one would wonder at the over-production ideal. One could then wonder about the choice of single-parents, and supporting the car/truck industry in a more waste-less way.
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bdiego
At least Japan produces this food in the first place. Most of the billion malnourished simply have their hands out. Not that I blame them, but ironically most of them aren't half as hard working as the average Japanese.
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sharpie
another disgraceful thing about this throw away mindset is that there are no salvation army type places where you can take your unwanted clothing, etc to be sold again, with profits from the sales ging to needy causes.
I never understood why people here continue just to throw away perfectly usable goods. Whether it be electronics, sports equipment, or household items such as plates and pots. It's funny seeing the foreigners out on the night before one of these garbage days. There's always something there that's worth using again.
More on topic though, I think there is a general disinterest or lack of concern about others here. Throwing away food doesn't make people here feel symathetic towards those who are needy. It doesn't occur to them.
Good on you 2HJ for your work
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MASSWIPE
"At least Japan produces this food in the first place"
I seriously doubt Japan produces all of it, given the country's low rate of food self-sufficiency. And if you think the many mollycoddled Japanese born in the last forty years work harder than malnourished people who do back-breaking manual labor in developing countries, please explain how.
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cleo
In my personal experience it's the older people - those who lived through the really lean years during and after the war - who are the most wasteful. My MIL and her mates buy more food when there's still stuff in the fridge, eat the new stuff 'because it would be a waste not to eat it while it's fresh', and end up throwing out the stuff still in the fridge because it's 'past its best'. My son has been living with her for the past year and sharing a communal food purse; it costs him almost twice what he spent on food as a self-catering undergrad and he eats no better because so much stuff gets bought and thrown away. He's even tried turning 'old' tomatoes into pasta sauce, but the MIL won't eat anything with the taint of 'make do'. She polishes her rice to within an inch of its life, too. And throws away the bran and germ.
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womanforwomen
2hj thank you.
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Angelo
"Sadly, Japan has been slow to get behind the idea of food banking, which has become commonplace in the West."
Let's name the child. Not Japan but the Japanese government. These guys cannot even keep track of how much pension they owe to individuals. You need private NPOs for that too I guess;)
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NuckinFutz
Thank you to all the people who make this worthwhile endeavor happen! You are changing people's lives for the better each and every day!
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MASSWIPE
Cleo, I wasn't referring to the propensity of young Japanese to throw away their food in greater quantities than their elders. I was responding to the ridiculous assertion by "bdiego" that malnourished people in developing countries "aren't half as hard working as the average Japanese" The younger people of Japan, like all citizens of wealthy, developed, unitary countries, have largely lost the "deprivation motive" to do the kind of work that means the difference between malnourishment and starvation in a lot of other places.
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Potsu
"....a moral disgrace..."
No such thing in Japan.
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goddog
I rarely throw food away. I buy and make just enough to eat, and if I have leftovers, I use them for breakfast and lunch. Like yesterday, I had gyoza for dinner with left over as I got full fast. So I made two sandwiches from them on one slice of bread each, put a slice of cheese and some Mayo. Excellent. I hate seeing things thrown away because of dates. They are still good for a long time after wards.
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borscht
Probably not. The US, which does produce enough to feed itself, has hungry people, too. It's not food production that causes people to go hungry, it's the food distribution system (and money). Go to http://www.thehungersite.com to find out more.
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ashika1009
This is very good. Wasting food like this is a shame. No matter where it happens.
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Kronos
I do not know about food (since I very rarely throw it away) but I wanted to give my old stuff away to someone in need couple of weeks ago (they are old but in good shape - not in tatters). My wife said noone would take them. Acoording to her, if we want to give away some stuff to the needy, then they have to be brand new. We ended up throwing it away. I felt bad. There are many people where I come from, who would thank me over and over again if I gave away such stuff, but not in Japan it seems.
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Shaolin7
An excellent point was made by kyoken in the very first post. The 'moral disgrace' is entirely relative, because the compass is set to different bearings. Nevertheless, it is still heartwarming to see people trying to make a difference, especially for those souls that society in general disregards or refuses to even acknowledge. I will make sure to send some their way.
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Mark_McCracken
No, that is not obvious at all.
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jam_sandwich
Go guys, before I came to Japan I cleaned up all my uneaten dry goods, and non-perishables and gave it all to the food bank. It was a pretty heavy load, and I hope someone likes canned mushrooms as much as I do. I do kinda hate this notion of "wasteful Westerner" put on me by my co-workers. Like most posters here, it's too easy to point fault at another country's faults, but not your own. People get too proud somtimes. Alot of my coworkers feel they have the moral high-ground when it comes to "mottainai" thinking, despite the fact that they rarely recycle, chuck food out, and probably never seen a bicycle up close. I'm glad the newer generation is able to get beyond their own cultural mindset of "Nippon Ichi", and acknowledge that people need help reach out to others. Breaking the mold takes a lot of effort here, but it's often for the better. Everyone should support these guys.
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gplee111
Charlie McJilton - congratulations on your great work and wonderful to hear that the foodbank is doing such good service. You may remember me from the incorporation process back in 2002.
sharpie - the Salvation Army in Japan does collect and sell second hand furniture, in Tokyo at least. I bought some from them in Suginami-ku. They are called "Kyuuseigun" (Save-The-World Army) in Japanese.
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dolphingirl
Although I'm very happy to hear about this NPO, I am still shocked that the first food bank in Japan only started up in 2002. Food banks have been around in the US since the late 60's and in Canada since the early 80's. (just for comparison) What have the hungry people in Japan been doing before 2HJ opened its doors to them? Yikes!
I think every country and every person has a different idea of what 'wasting' is. Japan seems to be find with wrapping food up in three layers of paper and plastic but if you leave a couple of grains of rice in the rice cooker, it's being wasteful. In other countries, their cars guzzle tons of gasoline, but you are frowned upon if you don't have your own reusable coffee mug.
Does anyone know if there's a similar NPO for collecting used clothes? I hate just throwing old stuff out.
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Branded
I ran across this very topic about 3 months ago. I was sitting with a group of Japanese when the topic of "restaurants in the USA" popped up. The vast majority of the group loudly complained (sheesh, tough crowd)that the quantity of food presented at the average American restaurant was too much. They then went on to agree that this was wasteful. I quickly pointed out that in the USA any restaurant will eagerly provide you with extra plates so you can share the large portions, and they will also offer up boxes, foil, or wrapping so you can take any leftovers with you. The group was still unconvinced... that is until I presented them, the next day, a printed copy of some data I found on the net under "food waste". It seems the Japanese, per capita, waste almost twice as much food as the Americans ! In short, this NPO has their work cut out for them.
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DonotTrustthem
How can Japan have hungry people on the street or those sleeping in the sleep? Why do not say it is because they are lazy and want to live on the street. Now we have 500000 a month losing jobs in American and 150000 people losing their homes every six months. Many Japanese could find themselves in the same situation and should by a poor person a drink or a meal while they can.
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noborito
Why is their url, org? not or.jp? Japanese are too selfish to share. They pay the price printed on the box. Throw away food with an expiration date even on hard frozen items that can last for years. I can't believe 600,000 people use them here in Japan. Don't believe that marketing spew at all.
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SiouxChef
What is 'moldering'?
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