Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki (front, R) inspects a food section during a visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on April 30, 2026.

Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki (front, 2nd from L) is briefed about the food situation during a visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on April 30, 2026.

Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese farm minister Suzuki in Bangladesh

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki (2nd from R) visits an outlet of local supermarket chain unimart, which has a section for Japanese food, in Dhaka on April 29, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno (2nd from R), leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (2nd from L) speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno, leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno (R), leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita (L), co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, attends the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, attends the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita (C), co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, and Takahiro Anno (L), leader of Team Mirai, attend the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

Japan farm minister Suzuki in Paris

Japan farm minister Suzuki in Paris

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki (L) meets the official from French retail giant Carrefour in charge of foreign food during a visit to Paris on Jan. 15, 2026. Suzuki pitched Japan's rice in a bid to expand its exports to the European market.

Japan farm minister Suzuki in Paris

Japan farm minister Suzuki in Paris

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki meets the press in Paris on Jan. 15, 2026, after visiting local supermarkets and a food company. Suzuki pitched Japan's rice in a bid to expand its exports to the European market.

Japanese sake promotion in Cambodia

Japanese sake promotion in Cambodia

Cambodian government officials and people involved in the food and beverage industry take part in an event promoting rice wine made in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 3, 2025, at the Japanese embassy in Phnom Penh.

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito (C) and Crown Princess Kiko visit a farm and marine food festival in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2025. (Pool photo)

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito (C) and Crown Princess Kiko visit a farm and marine food festival in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2025. (Pool photo)

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Crown prince visits food festival in Tokyo

Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito (C) and Crown Princess Kiko visit a farm and marine food festival in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2025. (Pool photo)

Event to pitch Japanese food held in Beijing

Event to pitch Japanese food held in Beijing

A food tasting event for Japanese food is held at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Oct. 16, 2025, with Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi (back, C) attending.

Japanese food fair in Singapore

Japanese food fair in Singapore

A food fair promoting Japanese food is held in Singapore on Oct. 16, 2025, with about 150 companies and organizations from 35 Japanese prefectures taking part.

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a speech at an event to promote Japanese food products to ambassadors from over 100 countries, hosted by the country's Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, in Tokyo on Oct. 8, 2025.

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a speech at an event to promote Japanese food products to ambassadors from over 100 countries, hosted by the country's Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, in Tokyo on Oct. 8, 2025.

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (far R) tastes a local specialty at an event to promote Japanese food products to ambassadors from over 100 countries, hosted by the country's Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, in Tokyo on Oct. 8, 2025. (Pool photo)

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japan PM Ishiba at food promotion event

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a speech at an event to promote Japanese food products to ambassadors from over 100 countries, hosted by the country's Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, in Tokyo on Oct. 8, 2025.

Japanese food promotion event in N.Y.

Japanese food promotion event in N.Y.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2nd from R) takes part in an event to promote the export of Japanese food products held at a restaurant in New York on Sept. 23, 2025.

Bear family seen in Hokkaido

Bear family seen in Hokkaido

Photo taken on May 14, 2025, shows a bear and two cubs walking on a road in Shiretoko National Park in the northern Japanese town of Shari in Hokkaido. In Japan, sightings of bears coming down to populated areas in search of food, as well as reports of attacks on humans by the animals, are on the rise.

APEC meeting on food security

APEC meeting on food security

Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting on food security in Incheon, South Korea, on Aug. 10, 2025.

Japan PM Ishiba on farm minister's resignation

Japan PM Ishiba on farm minister's resignation

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, about Taku Eto's resignation as farm minister over his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Japan PM Ishiba on farm minister's resignation

Japan PM Ishiba on farm minister's resignation

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, about Taku Eto's resignation as farm minister over his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japan farm minister resigns over controversial rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto (C) enters Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, to tender his resignation to the premier. Eto resigned as farm minister after coming under fire for his comments on rice deemed insensitive to consumers struggling with soaring prices of the staple food.

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Japanese Princess Aiko visits the Signature Pavilion, focusing on food and life, at the World Exposition in Osaka on May 9, 2025. (Pool photo)

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Japanese Princess Aiko visits the Signature Pavilion, focusing on food and life, at the World Exposition in Osaka on May 9, 2025. (Pool photo)

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Princess Aiko visits Osaka expo

Japanese Princess Aiko visits the Signature Pavilion, focusing on food and life, at the World Exposition in Osaka on May 9, 2025. (Pool photo)

Lab to study aging mechanism

Lab to study aging mechanism

Japanese precision equipment maker Shimadzu Corp. and Tohoku University establish a lab at the state university's campus in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on April 18, 2025, to jointly study the mechanism of aging. The lab aims to develop anti-aging therapies, medicine and food through the study until March 2027.

Lab to study aging mechanism

Lab to study aging mechanism

Japanese precision equipment maker Shimadzu Corp. and Tohoku University establish a lab at the state university's campus in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on April 18, 2025, to jointly study the mechanism of aging. The lab aims to develop anti-aging therapies, medicine and food through the study until March 2027.

Unitika to leave textile business

Unitika to leave textile business

Photo taken Nov. 28, 2024, shows the building housing the headquarters of Japanese chemical firm Unitika Ltd. in Osaka, western Japan. The company, which started in 1889 as a textiles firm, announced the same day its decision to pull out of that loss-making side to its business and instead focus on packaging film for food and other polymer products.

Unitika to leave textile business

Unitika to leave textile business

Photo taken Nov. 28, 2024, shows the building housing the headquarters of Japanese chemical firm Unitika Ltd. in Osaka, western Japan. The company, which started in 1889 as a textiles firm, has decided to pull out of that loss-making side to its business and instead focus on packaging film for food and other polymer products, sources close to the matter said the same day.

Japan business leader meets China vice president

Japan business leader meets China vice president

Takeshi Niinami (L), president of Japanese beverage and food maker Suntory Holdings Ltd. and chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, holds talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 4, 2024.

Japan business leader meets China vice president

Japan business leader meets China vice president

Takeshi Niinami, president of Japanese beverage and food maker Suntory Holdings Ltd. and chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, holds talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 4, 2024.

Japanese food fair in Singapore

Japanese food fair in Singapore

Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2024, shows a booth for the Japan External Trade Organization at a Japanese food fair in Singapore.

Japanese food fair in Singapore

Japanese food fair in Singapore

Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2024, shows a booth for a fish wholesaler in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture at a Japanese food fair in Singapore.