Japanese don't like foreign rice, say Japanese farmers

[vudeja]

..."Foreign rice is for foreigners," said the cigarette-puffing Takahashi, who has been working at the Azabu shop for 44 years. "Japanese people like only Japa-nese rice."...

http://taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2003/09/06/2003066734

[Big Booger]

Wasn't there a study done that proved Japanese people couldn't tell the difference between J-rice and rice grown in foreign countries?

The problem with this is foreign rice will put the J-farmers out of business because they cannot compete with the quality and price of foreign rice. It is protectionism at it's worst... just like the US and the steel industry!

If they left foreign rice in, it will flood the market and lower the price of rice to near US levels...

Japanese rice is way over priced IMHO.

[vudeja]

I could not find any study but these quotes are interesting.

..."The Imperial Household Agency said he had consented "to eat foreign rice mixed with Japanese rice," and he had survived."...

"It seems that most cannot tell the difference between Japanese and California or Chinese rice. The Prime Minister was quoted as saying, "If I hadn't been told it was blended rice, I wouldn't have known."

taken from Example of Ethnocentrism http://www.ais.msstate.edu/age/lesson3/change.html

[Steve Bildermann]

A more significant fact, not generally well known is that virually all soyabeans (tofu etc) used in Japan are imported (generally from America)

I used to do some consulting work for the American Soyabean association and I was really surprised to find out that America's #1 export money earner by far is Soyabeans followed by Wheat.

World Soybean Production 2002

[GomiGirl]

Sure I realise that there is a heap of national pride associated with Rice and Soy..

however, take a look at a globe and tell me which countries are best suited for production of primary products like grains?? hhmmm?? It just doesn't make economic sense for a country the size of Japan to attempt to produce compteitively priced foods that require huge amounts of land. Don't get me started on labour costs..

Australia went through this a few decades ago but the opposite... Australians didn't want Australia to be thought of as the worlds "bread basket" as it seemed undignified to be a primary producer in a technologically advanced global society.. so they tried to compete in manufacturing against the tiger economies of asia. ballerdash I say.. Use the talents and the resources at your disposal for the best effect.

[blackcat]

I asked a group of my college students once as to why cigarettes in japan are 3 times cheaper than is (for example Australia), and why Rice was 7 times more expensive????

Of course no clue. but they agreed the situation should be reversed.
the cigarettes baffled them,,, as for the rice, I said why in a country with 6 times the population with a MAIN diet of rice could it be 7 times more expensive??

silence...then corally ....

Quality!

[japslapper]

....its not just rice. Japanese seem to have an ingrained prejudice that their countries cuisine and products are the best. In my opnion - the best Japanese food in the world is in California - delicious :P

However when it comes to discussing the qualities of a variety of nashi or ringo they amaze me. "This Kens product is tasty, this Kens is bad"...."it rained lots this summer so these budou are not so good".......I eat because I am hungry and if it tasstes good thats a bonus Maybe be its because I am British....

....Little to Japanese realise that many of their foods are foreign in origin.....Tempura is Portugeuses etc. How many times have I been asked "Do you have Worcester sauce in England"........."It is from England....there is a town called Worcester" I reply to the surprise of the Japanese
"do you know cheddar chesu?"......." ofcourse I fucking do the original town is about an hour from my house - and the real stuff is way better than this shit"

[Taro Toporific]

..."do you know cheddar chesu?"......." o fcourse I fucking do the original town is about an hour from my house:

I hear these kind of things all the time. I assume this is Japanese humor.

The worst shit-kicker cowboy back home on my ranch in Colorado knows where cheddar, munster, etc. came from. Sheesh.

[Big Booger]

I had a guy try to tell me that KitKat candy bars are Japanese...

LMAO.. and you know what, I didn't even give a rats ass to tell him none the better.. he still thinks KitKats are from Japan.

[Taro Toporific]

[japslapper]

Kitkat?

Limey food?

I thought it was something else the Yanks were flogging around the world.....well you did gives us the Hot dog

Macdonalds is American but has a Scotish name right?

[kamome]

....Little to Japanese realise that many of their foods are foreign in origin.....Tempura is Portugeuses etc. How many times have I been asked "Do you have Worcester sauce in England"........."It is from England....there is a town called Worcester" I reply to the surprise of the Japanese
"do you know cheddar chesu?"......." ofcourse I fucking do the original town is about an hour from my house - and the real stuff is way better than this shit"

Hell, I've had a Japanese person (admittedly a young kid) ask me if we had McDonald's in America.

[Buraku]

[FG Lurker]

Perhaps for the first time ever we agree on something Buraku... Protectionism now would really, REALLY fuck things up.

[Yokohammer]

Just when it looks as though things can't get much worse, the "experts" come up with a harebrained scheme to ensure that it does.

But rice, yeah. I remember a few years ago when there was a shortage and Japan was forced to import. Some interviewer on TV was asking a woman what she thought of imported rice, and the woman answered that she never ate it because it stinks. The reporter asked her if she had actually tried it, to which the woman replied "of course not, everyone knows it stinks ... desho?"

An excellent demonstration of the true meaning of "prejudice."

[Ketou]

Just when it looks as though things can't get much worse, the "experts" come up with a harebrained scheme to ensure that it does.

But rice, yeah. I remember a few years ago when there was a shortage and Japan was forced to import. Some interviewer on TV was asking a woman what she thought of imported rice, and the woman answered that she never ate it because it stinks. The reporter asked her if she had actually tried it, to which the woman replied "of course not, everyone knows it stinks ... desho?"

An excellent demonstration of the true meaning of "prejudice."

Apparently they much prefer rice that was destined for glue production....of course no one could taste the difference.

[prolly]

i'm waiting for rice to begin to take on the marketing characteristics of wine and coffee - you know, with terroir and all that....

[Midwinter]

This whole Japanese rice is better crap is exactly like how they say Japanese cocks are harder than foreign ones. It's an excuse so that the small and petty men of this country can retain some semblence of pride and dignity in the face of a better foreign product.

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I can cut diamonds with mine

[Yokohammer]

[quote="Midwinter"]This whole Japanese rice is better crap is exactly like how they say Japanese cocks are harder than foreign ones. It's an excuse so that the small and petty men of this country can retain some semblence of pride and dignity in the face of a better foreign product.

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I can cut diamonds with mine ]

You can cut diamonds with your rice??

Hey, and don't forget that Japanese snow is different from snow in the rest of the world, that's why imported skis won't work in Japan (if you haven't heard this one, it's an idea that was actually promoted by a J-government trade minister several years ago to protect the Japanese ski manufacturers).

There are more, but I'll leave some to other posters ...

[Greji]

[quote="Midwinter"]This whole Japanese rice is better crap is exactly like how they say Japanese cocks are harder than foreign ones. It's an excuse so that the small and petty men of this country can retain some semblence of pride and dignity in the face of a better foreign product.

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I can cut diamonds with mine ]

I got a two fisted blue veiner that will cut a fender off a ford, but according to 2channel, Take's is harder....

[Buraku]

Are car sales and bailouts linked?
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/02/09/3974980.htm
In many segments of society, there is honest resentment against the Big Three auto companies and their employees, who are sometimes viewed as overpaid and spoiled.
To be fair, some people see companies like Honda, Mercedes and Hyundai, all with plants in Alabama, as interlopers.
It became so divisive that observers from auto states like Michigan began referring to senators opposed to the bailout plan as "Toyota Republicans." Political posturing and name-calling aside, the auto companies received at least part of what they asked for, with some pretty long strings attached. It is far from a slam dunk in predicting what politicians will do next with that bailout, but it might be possible that consumers are speaking on the subject.

Buchanan Toyota and an ironic ad (December 08 )


I haven't been able to read the stimulus but it seems Ford, GM might get a $5 Billion in Tax break and a 5 billion back to work scheme putting buyers in a position where they can drop interest on auto loans,
sounds like good news for the US auto worker but the Big 3 will still be forced to shed tens of thousands of jobs

[Greji]

sounds like good news for the US auto worker but the Big 3 will still be forced to shed tens of thousands of jobs

They have stated that the job reductions are supposedly being made to conform to the restructuring mandate made by congress in order for them to receive the cash. If this is true, do you really want Barney Frank running the auto business?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Buchanan Toyota and an ironic ad (December 08 )

That's fucking hilarious.

[Buraku]

[Buraku]

Protectionism or "Think Local" in the Stimulus Package
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2009/02/protectionism_o.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_autobeat

Brazil may challenge "Buy American" at WTO
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/02/16/washington/politics-us-brazil-us-wto.html

Sidley Partner Slams 'Buy American' Stimulus Clause
http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2009/02/sidley-partner-slams-buy-american-stimulus-clause.html