9 out of 10 Japanese say they opt for domestically produced foods

TOKYO, Nov. 15 Kyodo -
A government survey conducted in September found that 89 percent of respondents
said they would choose domestically produced products over imported goods when
it comes to buying food, a 7.1 percentage point increase from a similar survey
conducted in 2000, the Cabinet Office said Saturday.
The poll also showed that 93.2 percent said Japan should be more self-reliant
in procuring foodstuffs. The survey targeted a total of 5,000 adults across the
nation, of whom 62.9 percent provided valid replies, the government office
said.
A relative decline in confidence in imported foods and a greater desire for
food self-sufficiency ''may have been influenced by food poisoning cases
involving Chinese-made dumplings and global food crises,'' an official at the
agricultural ministry said.
A preference for domestic foods was particularly strong among housewives and
those aged 60 or older, the survey found.
As to the criteria for opting for domestic foods, ''safety'' was cited by 89.1
percent, the largest number. ''Quality'' was mentioned by 56.7 percent,
followed by ''freshness'' by 51.6 percent. Multiple replies were allowed in
this section of the questionnaire, according to the Cabinet Office.
A paltry 0.5 percent said they would choose imports, while 10.1 percent said
they do not have any particular preference.
On Japan's food self-sufficiency, which currently stands at 40 percent of
calorific intake, 79.2 percent said it is low, while 8.3 percent said it is
appropriate and 7.3 percent said it is high.
==Kyodo
2008-11-15 22:09:34