Recommendation of Japanese restaurants outside Japan

by S. C.

Japanese cuisine is blessed with a rich and diverse range of fresh seasonal produce and has been created by incorporating the sense of beauty and the seasons of Japan, while also including other aspects of foreign cuisine and culture. Japanese cuisine is an asset to our nation that is revered around the world and has been forged throughout the course of Japan’s long history. Sharing Japanese cuisine with the rest of the world will serve not only to improve the image of Japan, but will also allow Japan to contribute to the food cultures and lifestyles of countries around the world.
Japanese cuisine is currently attracting attention from across the globe as a healthy alternative and an ideal dietary lifestyle, and the number of Japanese restaurants around the world is rapidly increasing. These Japanese restaurants are providing people overseas with an opportunity to come into contact with Japanese cuisine and traditional ingredients and also a range of Japanese culture.
Japanese restaurants are also a showroom to present Japanese cuisine to the outside world. At present, Japanese agricultural and marine industries and the food industry of Japan are trying to increase exports and increase their presence in overseas markets in order to expand beyond the well developed and saturated market at home. Japanese restaurants are the first place for foreign people to meet Japanese food and agricultural and marine products. It can be said that it is inevitable to start with restaurants if you intend to penetrate the market abroad with food from Japan.
We are excited at the prospect of more people coming to enjoy Japanese cuisine and the spread of traditional Japanese ingredients around the world as the number of Japanese restaurants increases, and this is the time to accelerate and to evolve this movement.
However at present the number of restaurants is rapidly increasing despite a lack of information concerning Japanese food and without the provision of ingredients that not only characterize, but are essential to Japanese cuisine. As a result, there is a concern that the good reputation of Japanese cuisine could be damaged.
In consideration of this global trend in Japanese restaurants, a range of measures are currently in place including the start of a recommendation program for Japanese restaurants in Paris and the formation of Japanese food-related organizations in countries around the world.
Countries such as Thailand and Italy, already have accreditation systems in place for restaurants serving homegrown cuisine.
This proposal has, since the commencement of discussions, attracted a lot of interest both inside and outside Japan and has provoked widespread debate, including the true state of Japanese cuisine outside Japan, and questions as to the identity of Japanese cuisine and Japan food culture, from which we have been able to garner a wide range of opinions and suggestions for this program.
Until now the Advisory Council has met three times to listen to and discuss the opinions of relevant bodies and parties.
As a result, the Advisory Council has proposed a plan for a Japanese Restaurant Recommendation Program. This project forms only the first step in approaches towards Japanese restaurants outside Japan and we expect this program to form a base for yet further activities.