Written by: adekun on 10 August, 2008 4:08 pm - Filed under: blog — 2 Comments »
A couple of months back there was a report on the cash crisis. An American mother was in tears complaining milk being at the same price as gasoline? Although disparate in the UK, it made me recall dairy farmers protesting against their diminishing share of the end retail price.
I can understand cost increases being passed through, but do wonder if it’s all a bit off-kilter. Here in Japan, something that doesn’t need a reminder is the cost of food.
In one of the less affluent prefectures I’m thoroughly disgusted at the following:
- Milk c. ¥250 a litre
- Butter ¥408 for 200g (naturally the shelf was bare).
- Imported Devon cream 170ml just under ¥2000. That’s almost a tenner in English money.
- Grated ‘Pizza’ cheese 320g ¥688
- Cheese 100g around ¥500
It’s not just dairy products. The overpriced ¥300 Japanese garlic is now suddenly ¥400 a head. Is this a fair reflection of cost? Are you taking the Michael? Perhaps what I should come to terms with is that it price isn’t an issue. People now are so dependant that if that’s the price then it shall be paid with little more than a grumble - at best. The corporations are at liberty to charge what they like and there will be no riot.
Tags: food and drink, news, politics, whinge
Written by: adekun on 2 August, 2008 6:35 pm - Filed under: blog — No Comments »
Today sees ailing Prime Minister Fukuda’s new cabinet inaugurated. The forbearing Japanese can now look forward to a raft of reforms instead of the usual dithering and inaction. If the latest reshuffle doesn’t upset the apple cart, the golden age may last until next September when an equally dynamic team get elected.
Long live the gerontocracy!
Tags: news, politics, whinge
Written by: adekun on 24 July, 2008 10:36 pm - Filed under: blog — 3 Comments »
In the news a few days ago was a report on hordes of monkeys descending upon gardens. The old residents have put dozens of giant stuffed tigers in an attempt to keep them at a distance. Those bold enough get faced with a barrage of rockets propelled from makeshift launchers and pistols.
Tags: news, pests
Written by: adekun on 20 July, 2008 7:50 am - Filed under: blog — 3 Comments »
Today is Triathlon day and it looks to be a hot and very humid one. The typhoon moving up from Taiwan is now heading more towards the west. On Friday evening there was an announcement over the city public address system to say somebody had spotted a two or three metre fish; either a school of fish or a shark. With the warming of the seas over the years, Hammerhead sharks can be seen off the beach. This year the swim is going ahead. The event is now an ecology conscious green tournament. Volunteers will be bussed around in buses running on biodiesel produced from used tempura oil. 
Tags: news, triathlon, typhoon
Written by: adekun on 6 July, 2008 10:54 pm - Filed under: blog — 4 Comments »
As world leaders arrive for the G8 summit so has the warmer weather. Down in Kyūshū it was over 36°C. In Hokkaido, a key point on the agenda is rising costs. Even the ‘cost’ of hosting the event is up with the Japanese government splashing out a cool £285m, half of which is on security. According to The Guardian it is perhaps is a little less lavish than the last the country hosted:
Japan is touting Lake Toya as the “compact” summit in an attempt to banish memories of Okinawa 2000, an 80bn-yen orgy of excess during which the leaders lunched on Beluga caviar and foie gras while Jacques Chirac held court on his love of sumo wrestling. The lesson does not seem to have been learned: this week 60 top chefs will prepare the leaders’ meals, although the menu and its cost are closely guarded secrets.
This year’s resort sits 625m atop a mountain looking like something from a Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation production. (more…)
Tags: news, politics, weather
Written by: adekun on 30 May, 2008 10:06 pm - Filed under: blog — 2 Comments »
Towards the end of March notices appeared above the empty butter shelves. The general theme was an apology from the supermarket manager saying they are unsure when the next delivery will be. Although it hasn’t been the most fervent of searches, Monday brought an end to over a month without any respite. I spotted a few blocks. They must have just had a delivery and I was in the right place at the right time. A steal I thought at ¥368 for a scant 200 g. Along with the ridiculously priced apples and flour, pie making will have to wait (probably indefinitely). I also spotted seven cherries for ¥298.
There have been many stories covering this phenomenon. Hashimoto an official at the Ministry of Agriculture was quoted “Drought in Australia which pushed up the cost of cattle feed and bulging demand for butter elsewhere in Asia are making butter imports more expensive and shoppers are turning to made in Japan butter. The bottom line is, however, butter is not our staple food. Personally, I can happily switch to margarine.”
I don’t understand the mechanics but there quite a bit more going on. Why aren’t other countries facing similar problems?
Back in 2006 there was a bit of a glut. Being tightly controlled by the government the dairy farmers were forced to buy back their milk (or their cow’s milk) and pour it down the drain. Many cows were knocked on the head. There are similar issues with stockpiles of skimmed milk a by-product of the butter making process. Now that world’s traditional exporters are at the point of importing or diverting elsewhere, the big corporations have turned to raiding the domestic larder of fresh milk to produce the more lucrative coffee drinks, cheeses etc.
So why not import some butter? There is the tariff hurdle the bureaucrats fail to mention. The latest figure I can find, published a year ago is 29.8% plus ¥1159 per kg. I’ve seen total tariff figures of 700-800% mentioned. I couldn’t find any import prices, even rough figures based MDC Datum worldwide wholesale prices, works out to close to 500% last May and 350% this month (given the rises), making the above seem credible.
Even if the now sceptical farmers look to increase their flock, the earliest Heifers can calve at 24 months (needing extra costly feed). While there many agricultural tariffs in place, the WTO is being lobbied to prevent poorer (and starving) countries curbing their exports. There is talk on raising the self sufficiency rate here, what about sustainability without subsidies?
Tags: food and drink, news, politics, whinge
Written by: adekun on 11 May, 2008 7:21 pm - Filed under: blog — 3 Comments »
Price rise announcements are now a common precursor to each month. Earlier in the year there were reports of Japan’s WPI being at a 27 year high and CPI being hitting decade highs. In a country where the economy is as stagnant as the wages, cost-driven inflation is really spanner in the works. Being so hideously short on natural resources you would think it prudent that the country not to be reliant on something that can be grown at home.* Japan’s food self sufficiency has fallen to a meagre 39%. Despite this there is still a surplus of the tightly controlled rice. Rather than relay my own thoughts and experiences this article sums it up much better and offers an insight as to what the government is cooking up (skip cynical typo). I think it’s worth adding however, when asking students what their favourite food is, they almost always respond with pasta or spaghetti.
What I am yet to understand is flour cost increases are met regular tax increases levied upon the millers. I can only surmise as I don’t have an understanding of how things work here. Nor do any Japanese I speak to. In fact there is so little interest in the subject it is little wonder things go awry or politicians get repeatedly caught with their hands in the till. On a more positive note there are plans to increase the self sufficiency rate; with a coffer that no doubt needs to be filled.
This month was greeted with a McPrice Hike. An example given was because of cheese and flour cost increases the ¥100 hamburger will now cost between ¥20 and ¥30 extra depending on the region. The last part made me laugh. Undoubtedly the forbearing Japanese will swallow the latest price rise.
* herein lies a little of the problem
Tags: news, politics
