"'Chewy Texture' Japanese Prime Minister Kishida's 'Fukushima Sea Bream Mukbang'"

Posted Video on Prime Minister's Office Twitter Account
"Support by Eating... Enjoy Your Meal" Promotional Effort in Full Swing

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida publicly shared an image online of himself eating sashimi from Fukushima for lunch. This appears to be a move to support Japanese seafood, which has been struggling since the release of contaminated water from the nuclear power plant.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is eating seafood from Fukushima at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo on the 30th. Amid China's complete ban on imports of Japanese seafood in opposition to the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (referred to as "treated water" by the Japanese government) into the ocean, the Japanese government revealed images of Prime Minister Kishida and other government officials eating flounder, octopus sashimi caught off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, and agricultural products from Fukushima.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), on the 30th (local time), Prime Minister Kishida had sashimi for lunch at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Tokyo with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, and Minister in charge of Declining Birthrate Masanobu Ogura, among others.

Their lunch menu included sea bass, flounder, and octopus sashimi from Fukushima. All the seafood was reportedly caught the previous day in the waters off Fukushima. In addition, the official Twitter account of the Prime Minister’s Office posted a “lunch mukbang” video.

In the video, Prime Minister Kishida said, “We are supporting by eating products from the Sanriku coast (the seas off Fukushima Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, and Ibaraki Prefecture),” adding, “Seafood from the Sanriku coast is full of charm, and we also enjoyed eating it.” According to Nikkei, during the meal, Kishida also mentioned, “It has a nice chewiness and is very delicious.”

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida having lunch on the 30th (local time). [Image source=Twitter]

Fukushima agricultural products were also served at the table. Dishes made with pork, onions, and rice were presented, along with Fukushima-grown melons and watermelons for dessert. Regarding this, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura reportedly emphasized that “it is important to present safety based on scientific evidence and to strongly communicate this both domestically and internationally.”

The Japanese government has previously conducted “eat to support” campaigns for Japanese food products. After the Great East Japan Earthquake struck the Tohoku region in 2011, causing the Fukushima nuclear accident, consumer anxiety about the region increased, prompting promotional efforts.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) discharged some of the treated contaminated water stored in tanks at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea on the 24th. Since then, neighboring countries have protested, with China imposing a complete ban on imports of Japanese seafood.