Japan's hunger becomes a dire warning for other nations

[ZombieHorde]

Justin Norrie, Tokyo

While soaring food prices have triggered rioting among the starving millions of the third world, in wealthy Japan they have forced a pampered population to contemplate the shocking possibility of a long-term — perhaps permanent — reduction in the quality and quantity of its food.

A 130% rise in the global cost of wheat in the past year, caused partly by surging demand from China and India and a huge injection of speculative funds into wheat futures, has forced the Government to hit flour millers with three rounds of stiff mark-ups. The latest — a 30% increase this month — has given rise to speculation that Japan, which relies on imports for 90% of its annual wheat consumption, is no longer on the brink of a food crisis, but has fallen off the cliff.

According to one government poll, 80% of Japanese are frightened about what the future holds for their food supply.

Last week, as the prices of wheat and barley continued their relentless climb, the Japanese Government discovered it had exhausted its ¥230 billion ($A2.37 billion) budget for the grains with two months remaining. It was forced to call on an emergency ¥55 billion reserve to ensure it could continue feeding the nation.

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Link:
http://business.theage.com.au/japans-hunger-becomes-a-dire-warning-for-other-nations/20080420-27ey.html?page=1

[file83]

1. Sounds like the depression is starting to creep in, slowly, everywhere.

[mikita]

2. we are ALL so fucked.... n/t

[roguevalley]

10. they rely on fish too much. the fisheries are collapsing. part of it

has to do with their fucking trawlers.

[Fumesucker]

3. What are we talking total?

Five billion dollars or so?

That's chump change for a nation like Japan, the US is spending two billion a week in Iraq.

It's not well known but Japan has one of the most costly military machines on the planet, they spend as much as China, the UK and France do.

[Rosemary2205]

4. Won't they eat something else?

I don't think wheat and barley are big in the asian diet at all are they? It's my understanding wheat products have always been considered for the richer folks and that the higher demand in China and India is due to a growing middle class.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

there are places food costs are a serious problem, but I don't think this wheat thing is a big deal in Japan.

[KSinTX]

5. Two of the most popular dishes among working class Japanese are udon and soba

Both are wheat-based noodles served traditionally in a soup. Also ramen, though it wasn't all that popular when I was there. I think that was considered a more Chinese dish.

[NuttyFluffers]

13. yes, udon, soba, and ramen are wheat-based. also soy sauce uses wheat.

add that together with some fish and rice and you got the average daily diet of Japanese people. wheat then becomes rather pivotal. by the way, noodle shops are everywhere! if it wasn't for wheat noodles and soy sauce i wonder how the majority of people on a tight budget would eat. broth and panko battered goodies?

[otohara]

33. In Japan

food is a big deal. Big part of the culture - they eat bread and NOODLES galore! The biggest part of their diet is rice.

[otherlander]

6. We will wind up like the people who we are ignoring.

[tama]

24. That's the beauty of fascism

First we ignored commies and let them take them. Then we ignored gypsies and let them take them. Then we ingored blacks, jews etc and let them take them. Whose left to ignore us when they are coming to get us?

[gatorboy]

25. Huh?

[earth mom]

7. Let's face it: The planet is overpopulated. The oceans have been overfished.

Between that and global warming, I fear for us all. :scared:

[SoCalDem]

8. There probably IS enough food to feed us all, BUT

when everything is run through the stock market casino, speculators (gamblers) turn it all into a giant global slot machine..In casinos there are always more losers than winners..:(

[tama]

26. Nope

If we all lived like Cubans do, then there would be enough for all of us and even few more, but when everybody wants to have American standard of living and Americans allways want just more n' more n' more getting never satisfied - then the demand outstrips supply (even growing supply) at some point and we end up in the situation we are in. Just now.

Growth mania has to stop, and the politico-economical system based on growth mania. Time to satisfy with less and less and less, and share. Time for liberation from greed.

[goclark]

9. I was in Japan several years ago

A scoop of ice cream in a restaurant was around $20.

Everything cost so much more than America.

Fruit was outrageous in price.

Gasoline was outrageous in price.

Beautiful country and a breathtaking visit.

[El Pinko]

18. I lived in Japan in the 90s and $20 ice cream is NOT TYPICAL.

It was about $1.50 for a one-scoop cone at baskin robbins, and $1.00 for a soft-serve cone at McDonald's

Gasoline was Y111/liter, about $5 per gallon - that is much higher than the US, but much lower than most of Europe.

Driving is expensive if you take the expressways, which are all toll roads, but outside of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, I didn't find things to be all that expensive - perhaps 20% higher than in the states...

:shrug:

[goclark]

22. I was in Tokyo and I was staying in a beautiful

hotel.

Trust me, in 1998, that is what the bill was ~ I was in shock.

[El Pinko]

28. Well, I imagine that ice cream at the Ritz Carlton in Manhattan would be pricey, too.

Central Tokyo is not representative of Japan as a whole. When we went there, we slept on the sleeper train over there, ate at Yoshinoya and Ramen stands, and came straight home that night.

For our honeymoon, we stayed at a beautiful traditional ryokan in Kyoto for $100/ea. per night - it sounds a little high, but it included a sumptuous kaiseki gourmet dinner and breakfast.

In the five years we lived there, I found the cost of living to be slightly higher, but not terribly so, and the availability of excellent & cheap national health care more than made up for it.

:)

[stillcool]

11. Whatever happened to..

growing what you eat?

[shanti]

12. they have that covered too

GMF, anyone? :(

[and-justice-for-all]

14. Not a all a good sign...nt

[bushmeister0]

15. Hmmm . . . didn't Japan invade China for lack of resources once before?

That's the problem with living next to an an island with a huge military.

[El Pinko]

19. Well, the US invaded an unarmed country to steal its oil...

...and Japan, unlike the US, has renounced the use of aggression in its Constitution...

[bushmeister0]

20. Though, W & Co. are trying their best to get that clause taken out.

[gatorboy]

16. "a huge injection of speculative funds into wheat futures" Eh?

Someone brighter than I tell me what this means in layman terms.

[Zynx]

17. Hedge funds have gone into the commodities markets in a big way going long, meaning that

they are bidding up futures contracts with the anticipation they will be higher later, and thus making prices higher than they otherwise should be. Because these markets are not heavily traded, they can be easily manipulated.

[bushmeister0]

21. Speculating on human hunger, nice. There's a very special place in hell for them.

[gatorboy]

23. Isn't it though? I suspect this has more to do with the pricing than China and India.

There's no denying their large popultions. But a spike in price at 130% in less than a year makes it sound like the countries doubled their populations overnight. It's an excuse to manipulate these prices for profit.

[tama]

29. Not excuse. Globalization! n/t

[Zynx]

30. That China/India story is so much nonsense when it comes to food supply.

I agree with you completely. The demand growth for food is not growing like their demand for steel and cement.

[ColbertWatcher]

27. How much of this is due to the cost of oil? n/t

[SlingBlade]

31. Wheat ??? We need Ethanol and lots of it :)

Silly people, Wheat over Fuel, what could they be thinking ?

[slackmaster]

32. Eat it

"Eat It"

How come you're always such a fussy young man
Don't want no Captain Crunch, don't want no Raisin Bran
Well, don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan
So eat it, just eat it

Don't want to argue, I don't want to debate
Don't want to hear about what kind of food you hate
You won't get no dessert 'till you clean off your plate
So eat it

Don't you tell me you're full
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn't matter if it's boiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it, ooh

Your table manners are some cryin' shame
You're playin' with your food, this ain't some kind of game
Now, if you starve to death, you'll just have yourself to blame
So eat it, just eat it

You better listen, better do what you're told
You haven't even touched your tuna casserole
You better chow down or it's gonna get cold
So eat it

I don't care if you're full
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Open up your mouth and feed it
Have some more yogurt, have some more spam
It doesn't matter if it's fresh or canned
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Don't you make me repeat it
Have a banana, have a whole bunch
It doesn't matter what you had for lunch
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it

Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
If it's gettin' cold, reheat it
Have a big dinner, have a light snack
If you don't like it, you can't send it back
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it (oh lord)
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn't matter if it's boiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Don't you make me repeat it (oh no)
Have a banana, have a whole bunch
It doesn't matter what you had for lunch
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it

- Weird Al Yankovic