Dear International Fugu Association members,
In Japan, the number of coronavirus patients has increased with the development of the second wave.Flu was expected to lose its power in the summer, but COVID 19 is unlikely.A formidable attacker!
Members of the International Fugu Association worldwide are also in a tough situation, but I am happy to tell you two happy reports.
1) Expand imports of Japanese foods! "Hong Kong Japan Food Import Promotion Council" was formed.
This initiative aims to disseminate the market needs of Hong Kong to the Japanese side to expand imports while deepening cooperation between Japanese food-related parties in Hong Kong.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Hong Kong, Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong, the representative offices of Japanese local governments, Zennoh International Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Representative Office of the Norinchukin Bank are the members. Mr. Toshio Himuro, President of Zen Foods and the Macau representative of the International Fugu Association, is appointed as president.
2) Professor Hajime Matsubara of Kanazawa University, who studies Torafugu culture, successfully developed technology to remove parasites on Torafugu with catechin, one of the organic compounds derived from tea. It is a good prospect for practical application, reported newspapers, and Yahoo News. Professor Matsubara is our Association member.
It is expected that an improvement of local aquaculture will lead to the redevelopment of Torafugu products as local specialties. Local aquaculture grows juvenile fish hatched from eggs of wild Torafugu caught off the coast of Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture.
In July, I visited Prof. Matsubara's Noto Marine Center, Kanazawa University. The sea is beautiful, and the environment is excellent.
We want to cooperate Prof. Matsubara so that we can continue to help him.
The International Seafood Show Tokyo from September 30 to October 2 will be held as scheduled.
Unfortunately, it has become challenging to invite buyers from overseas this time. Still, the seafood show manager will take all possible measures against infectious diseases following the Japanese government's guidelines and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and work to ensure a safe and secure event.
The show will also hold new online business meetings to create business opportunities with overseas buyers who are unable to attend.
The venue will be moved from the Aomi Exhibition Building initially planned to the South Exhibition Building (inside the Tokyo Big Sight). It will occupy four holes compared with three holes last year.
The show management informed that this would enable ventilation inside the venue as part of measures against new infectious diseases, and layout of the place that avoids Three Cs: Closed spaces, Crowded spaces, and Close contact settings.
In addition, here is a BIG news.
A government subsidy for new product development is available, and it is acceptable to use at the Seafood Show 2020. Fugu species is applicable.
The application must be submitted online for the first public invitation by August 14.
The subsidy will support up to 4 million yen in actual expenses such as sample costs, travel and lodging fees, labor costs, and other incidental expendables.
Fugu makers and Fugu farms who have never exhibited yet are welcome to apply for this opportunity.
At the Shimonoseki Next Generation Meeting's request, we decided to hold an emergency briefing on the second floor of the Shimonoseki Minami Haedomari Market Live Fish Center from 9 o'clock on August 8. If you are near, please join us.
We have decided to exhibit in the seafood show as the Fugu team jointly with our association members. This time, we want to create a Fugu street to cover Fugu stakeholders from the production industry to the retail and food services to make the seafood show livelier.
As you may have noticed already, the International Fugu Association secretariat is in the same office as the seafood show. We are in a position to be able to pay special attention to our members, so please contact us.
Promotion in Singapore
2) In the negotiations on the export of Japanese Fugu milts, skins and fins to Singapore,
We have a project to send a questionnaire to Fugu dealers in Japan. The Fisheries Agency originally planned to do it, but the Agency requested that we do the task.
Therefore, we will select the businesses to contact, such as wild Fugu fishermen, fishery cooperatives, mariculture farms, land-based fish farms, consignees, wholesalers, processing plants, restaurants, etc. again and conduct a questionnaire survey.
We have attached a questionnaire for all of you, so please everyone in Japan to respond.
Please share this information with your business friends. If they don't know it, please give them the questionnaire.
This program is the International Fugu Association's first survey, so I am excited. But I will gather opinions from everyone and publish them to our website and report to the Japanese and Singapore governments. It would be great if the import ban can get lifted to Singapore. Amid the COVID 19 pandemic, it can make the dark world a little brighter.
I will continue to do my best to realize that day sooner.
Thank you for your continued support.
That's it for this newsletter.
