OLYMPICS

No soy sauce! Japanese athletes forced to adapt to Olympic menus

Sunday 29th June, 05:32 AM JST

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RepublicofTexas at 05:28 PM JST - 29th June

I really don't see why the athletes can't eat food from their own countries. Does this involve all competing nations?
Terrikus at 06:59 PM JST - 29th June

Huh. I had soy sauce all the time in China. shrug
Sarge at 07:54 PM JST - 29th June

"Chinese don't have soy sauce?"

"I had soy sauce al the time in China"

Not Japanese soy sauce. Hee hee!

"Miso soup and soy sauce have been deliberately left off the menu"

Are the athletes on a low-salt diet?
Terrikus at 08:28 PM JST - 29th June

Not Japanese soy sauce. Hee hee!

I dunno, it was typically Japanese brand. Besides, soy sauce is soy sauce more or less, no matter what it comes from. I've had it everywhere from China to Japan to Singapore and Malaysia. I've never noticed much of a difference, but maybe i just have underdeveloped taste buds =(
Crucifier99 at 09:47 PM JST - 29th June

maybe i just have underdeveloped taste buds Yeah, you sure do, Japanese can differentiate frozen Chinese eel, mushroom you name it from japanese one.
damexicanbuda at 03:46 AM JST - 30th June

No soy sauce!! I am Mexican, and I do not really care for Kikkoman or any other sauce unless I am having sushi, so I need it to water down my wasabi but as a true Mexican, I need HOT SAUSE, Tabasco, Jalapeños, Habaneros etc..I hope the Mexican Olypmic team makes sure not to leave home with out there spicy stuff, other wise they will not be to happy at the Olympic Village.
kinniku at 10:53 AM JST - 30th June

I think this is just a simple case of Coach Miyake not being aware that he can get his soy sauce in China, too. I think many travelers are surprised when they travel abroad and find their favorite foods almost as readily available overseas as they are in their home country.
DoctorTofu at 11:12 AM JST - 30th June

Right. As we all know, Chinese don't use chopsticks - in fact, I haven't seen a pair of chopsticks once when I was in China - everyone was eating their Thai rice with a plastic fork and knife.
shugotokumaru at 12:39 PM JST - 30th June

I have had food with soy sauce and eaten with chopsticks at Chinese restaurants everywhere.

I wonder, then, when Japan graciously introduced those items to China...
Zen_Builder at 12:46 PM JST - 30th June

I think there are thing missing in that article.

My guess is that they are talking the catered/supplied food at the Olympic village for the athletes. And I would also assume that everybody gets the same/similar food so the cuisine will have been adjusted to suit multiples tastes/cultures. Not everybody likes high-sodium foods.

Most likely the meal-plans with dishes and ingredients been sent to all countries and thus the current situation.

I think it is more of a preventive measure to prevent upset stomachs due to food that the athletes are not used to.

Just my view.
borscht at 06:19 AM JST - 1st July

I've seen students off for a month homestay pack two bags: one for their clothes and one with 'Japanese' food like Japanese peanut butter and Japanese chocolate et cetera because, having never gone to a foreign country, they 'know' they can't get these (mostly imported) foods in any other country.

On topic, what's with the plastic fork and knife? I imagine the Chinese caterer is just trying to accomodate the vast number of athletes who can't use chopsticks and don't want to learn during the Olympics. But I'm surprised they don't have disposable chopsticks available, too.

I also wonder how many Japanese athletes will discover Thai rice to be delicious and want it after their careers are over.
timorborder at 02:53 PM JST - 1st July

And meanwhile in Africa children are starving! Somewhere along the line, I think people's preoccupation with the Olympics has gone beyond good taste.
wilbur at 06:13 PM JST - 2nd July

you think they'll learn to use a fork and spoon in time for the Games ?
wilbur at 07:00 PM JST - 2nd July

lips: "eventuality of a loss" ?? more like a certainty
soothsayer at 08:46 AM JST - 5th July

A fellow teacher at the Nova branch I used to work at once came down from our conversation lounge to tell us that a student had just confidently announced that Japan could never be invaded. This was because Japanese air was different to air in other countries and as a result, the parachutes of the invading country wouldn't function. I see evidence of the same mentality in operation here and suspect arguments could run something like "Yes, China has soy sauce, but it's different to Japanese sauce because the air around the beans is different!"