On January 27th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held a press conference at its headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, regarding the "Local Ingredient Promotion Project through Food and Tourism Collaboration" (Japanese Hospitality through Food Project). This initiative is part of "Food Action Nippon" (FAN), a campaign to expand consumption of domestic agricultural, forestry, and fishery products. This initiative responds to growing domestic and international interest in "Japanese cuisine," including the registration of Washoku (Japanese cuisine) as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It aims to collaborate with the tourism industry to communicate the appeal and significance of cuisine utilizing local ingredients from across Japan nationwide, thereby boosting consumption of domestic agricultural, forestry, and fishery products.
Prior to the press conference, actress Yoshino Kimura, the project's image character, paid a courtesy visit to Minister Hayashi along with six proprietresses from model inns participating in the project. Kimura remarked, "I haven't yet visited the Minister's home prefecture of Yamaguchi, so I'd love to go and try the delicious food there." The Minister responded, "There are many delicious foods not only in Yamaguchi Prefecture but throughout Japan. We want to spread Japanese hospitality to the world."
At the press conference, following an explanation of the initiative, Kimura appeared and expressed her enthusiasm: "When I travel to various locations for filming, I always make sure to enjoy the seasonal ingredients of that region. Japan is rich with delicious foods throughout the four seasons. I want to fully convey the beauty of Japan and the appeal of Japanese cuisine, which I love."
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