Food & Beverage

Japanese retailers and restaurants have been busy promoting domestically caught scallops after China imposed a blanket ban on seafood imports from Japan. (Photo by Ryo Asayama)
Retail

Shunned by China, Japanese scallops to reach Thailand, Malaysia

Don Quijote parent aims to find new customers amid Fukushima row with Beijing

8 October 2023
By the time Zensho's expansion is complete, it will have twice as many restaurants overseas as in its home market of Japan.
Food & Beverage

Japan restaurant group Zensho aims at 10,000 outlets overseas

Owner of Sukiya, AFC, Snowfox eyes U.S., Mexico and Brazil

6 October 2023
Spending on food was down 2.5%, affected by high prices. However, eating out increased by 15.2% as drinking expenses and other expenses increased.
Inflation

Japan consumer spending drops 2.5% in August as inflation takes hold

Household outlays for food decline for 11th consecutive month

6 October 2023
Japanese consumers are snapping up instant noodles imported from other Asian countries. (Photo by Kana Watanabe)
Food & Beverage

Japanese slurp up Vietnamese and Thai flavors in instant noodles

Imports from Southeast Asia on the rise since pandemic travel restrictions

30 September 2023
Hitachi Zosen has mechanized the process of making solutions that generate the artificial protein. (Photo by Shimpei Nakamura)
Food & Beverage

Japanese company slashes lab-grown meat protein cost by 90%

Hitachi Zosen's machines cultivate modified wheat germ with precision

30 September 2023
A customer looks at pork at a market in Beijing in July. That month, the Chinese government said it had added 20,000 more tonnes to the national reserves.
Food & Beverage

China's pork prices climb after government tops off reserves

Futures jump more than 20% from July, following bulk purchases by Beijing

24 September 2023
Instant noodles line the shelves at a supermarket in Tokyo. Japan ranked fifth in instant noodle consumption last year. (Photo by Makoto Okada)
23 September 2023
Tsingtao's Luxury Legend is priced at more than $190 for a 1.5-liter bottle. (Photo by Shin Watanabe)
Food & Beverage

China's brewers ride premium trend, topped by $190 Tsingtao bottle

Upmarket offerings thrive, while youth unemployment cuts into cheaper beers

17 September 2023
A vendor sells rice at a store in Quezon City, the Philippines, on Aug. 14. Countries everywhere are scrambling to secure rice after a partial ban on exports by India cut supplies by roughly a fifth.
Commodities

Asia's rice squeeze after India export ban: 4 things to know

Market turmoil, government action, inflation jitters follow supply fears

14 September 2023
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a surge in wheat prices, given the countries' importance in the global supply of the grain.
Commodities

Japan to cut imported wheat price for first time in 3 years

Effects on food prices remain uncertain as businesses weigh options

13 September 2023
At Luckin Coffee, a new product that combines coffee with Moutai baijiu liquor sold more than 5.42 million cups on the first day. (Photo from Luckin Coffee's Weibo account)
6 September 2023
The Nikkei Stock Average finished at 33,036 points on Tuesday, the first time in roughly a month the index closed above the 33,000-point mark. (Photo by Yutaka Miyaguchi)
Markets

Restaurant, real estate and banking drive Japan stock rally

Higher prices and interest rates lift domestic-demand shares

6 September 2023
People line up outside Rengatei, a popular restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district, on March 16. Japan's food service industry has come roaring back after a punishing few years. 
Tea Leaves

No reservations in Japan's restaurant scene

Booking seats has become a daunting challenge in top dining destinations

30 August 2023
An open air market in Ahmedabad, India: Food represents 27% of the overall Asian consumer price index, with its national contribution ranging from 14% in South Korea to 46% in India.
Opinion

Rising food prices are clouding Asian rate cut outlook

Governments should review available policy tools to boost supplies

29 August 2023
Casks of whisky are shelved to age at a storehouse maintained by Tsuzaki's Kuju Distillery in Takeda, Japan.
Finance

Whisky used to back long-term loans to Japanese distiller

Brewer employs blockchain to create sake NFTs

27 August 2023
Staff dressed in black and white livery serve customers at Britannia in Mumbai. The Irani cafe continues to draw diners despite its state of graceful dilapidation. (Photo by Anil Senior)
Life

Mumbai's last remaining 'Irani' cafes recall lost culture of Bombay

Iconic Britannia celebrates centenary as new saloons pay homage to fading legacy

27 August 2023
Cambodia's cuisine has similarities to that of neighbors Vietnam and Thailand but also boasts a long, unique history. (Photo by Jun Takai)
Interview

Hidden gem: Cambodian cuisine counts blessings of the Mekong

Envoy to Japan discusses traditions around fish paste, watermelon rice and more

27 August 2023
China, led by President Xi Jinping, has condemned Japan's release into the ocean of treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kyodo and Reuters) 
International relations

China suspends all seafood imports from Japan on Fukushima discharge

Arrests made in South Korea as protesters try to enter Japanese Embassy

24 August 2023
Japan's Coca-Cola group will help forestation efforts in Tokyo and elsewhere to raise its water replenishment rate. (Photo courtesy of Coca-Cola)
Environment

Coca-Cola Japan, Suntory tackle water scarcity to blunt business risk

Bottlers promote water stewardship through land reforms and education

20 August 2023
Hakkaisan Brewery announced an expansion plan in the U.S. (Photo by Miho Saito)
Food & Beverage

Japan sake brewery Hakkaisan to boost U.S. production

Expansion plans with New York partner target tenfold increase in output

20 August 2023
Fishery major Nissui is providing whiteleg shrimp raised onshore to Japanese burger chain Mos Burger. (Photo courtesy of Nissui)
Fisheries

Japan onshore aquaculture takes root as mackerel, shrimp reach tables

Fish-farming method seen as healthy and environmentally friendly poised to expand

19 August 2023
Rice sacks in a market in Ahmedabad: India currently holds about 40% of the global rice export market, sending its grain to more than 130 countries.
Opinion

India has better options than banning rice exports

Frequent policy changes may jeopardize country's leading market position

17 August 2023
With shipments from Japan on pause, a restaurant in Dalian now serves tuna sashimi from Spain. (Photo by Shin Watanabe)
Food & Beverage

Chinese restaurants see Japan seafood supply dry up on import curb

Policy of blanket radiation testing also affects Japanese snacks, condiments

16 August 2023
Chicken rice made with plant-based meat: Alternative proteins will need to account for more than half of all protein production in Asia by 2060 to achieve the 1.5 C goal. (Courtesy of Love Handle)
Opinion

Asia will not get to net-zero without changing its diet

Capping emissions requires shift to cultivated and plant-based meat

16 August 2023
The Yindii app helps users find deals on food from local shops. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Food & Beverage

Thai food app serves up deals on restaurant leftovers

For motivation, Yindii shows users how much in CO2 emissions they cut

16 August 2023