Japanese Cuisine Overseas Promotion Distinguished Service Person
Designation Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was given to Noritoshi Kanai, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa and three others recently by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for promoting the expansion of exports of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food products by those in residence overseas who have greatly contributed to such as things as the education regarding and promotion of Japanese cuisine and Japanese food products and related items. The “Japanese Cuisine Overseas Promotion Distinguished Service Person Award” (Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize) was presented to these distinguished people and the results of the selection process were published. This time, from Los Angeles, Noritoshi Kanai of Kyodo Boeki (Mutual Trading) and restaurateur Nobuyuki Matsuhisa were chosen.

—Selection Criteria—
Noritoshi Kanai /In the society of the United States, where there was no tradition of eating raw fish, he introduced “nigiri hand-formed sushi,” sparking the sushi boom of the present day which has spread internationally. In addition, in concert with the continued increase of sushi restaurants, he worked diligently to ensure that there was a stable supply of such things as fresh fish, seaweed and wasabi, while as a sideline introducing jizake regional sake, tofu, miso and other food ingredients, so that the whole of Japanese food culture has penetrated the society of the United States. He also placed a strong emphasis on providing management guidance to Japanese restaurants serving authentic Japanese cuisine at the same time as holding business discussions and meetings on Japanese food and Japanese sake and seminars aimed at consumers as well as other events, working vigorously to promote Japanese food.

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa /With the techniques of traditional Japanese cuisine as the base, he incorporated the ingredients and techniques of the cooking of various countries to regularly offer Japanese food that was filled with creativity. According to the New York Times, his restaurant is one of the “Ten Best Restaurants in the World” and as a Japanese restaurant, was selected along with the old, traditional restaurant of Kyoto, “Kitcho.” Along with things like this, he has been awarded various chef and restaurant prizes in the United States. That new style of cooking has been characterized as the “Nobu style” and has garnered support from all over the world.


JRA Sponsored Golf Tournament

The Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California, representing member Japanese restaurants in the Los Angeles region is sponsoring a golf tournament to be held July 16th (Monday) at the California Country Club in Whittier. Through Japanese cuisine, the Association is an organization that works to promote exchanges between Japan and America and this tournament will be the eighth time it is being held.

When: Monday, July 16, 2007 At: California Country Club
11:30 am Registration 1509 S. Workman Mill Rd.
1:00 pm Shotgun Tee-off Whittier, CA 90601
(626) 333-4571

Grand Prize
Round Trip Air Ticket to anywhere in the U.S. Television and many other prizes

Hole in One Prizes
Rolex watch, $10,000 cash. Round Trip Air Ticket to Japan in Business Class

Organized by:
The Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California
312 East First Street, #340
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tel.: (213) 687-4055
Fax: (213) 687-4110
www.jrasc.com

Supported by:
JFC International
Maruhana USA
Mutual Trading
Nishimoto Trading

CALPICO® SUMMER SWEEPSTAKES
Drink CALPICO®, Answer the Quiz, Win A Nintendo Wii™!

Calpis U.S.A, Inc., manufacturer of the popular Japanese beverage CALPICO ®, today announced that it will hold a Summer Sweepstakes where entrants can win one of 200 prizes including a Nintendo Wii™ gaming console. The CALPICO Summer Sweepstakes will run from Friday, June 15th to Friday, August 31st, 2007 and is open to legal residents of the US. There is no purchase necessary to enter.

CALPICO invites its consumers to enter for a chance to win one of 15 grand prizes-a Nintendo Wii™ gaming console. Other prizes include electronic ice shavers (20) and foldable flying discs (165). Consumers can find entry forms at local participating CALPICO retailers where they can take the quiz and mail the form to the designated address or through the sweepstakes website at www.calpico.com/summer07.
CALPICO products are generally available in local Asian supermarkets across the U.S., serving Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other communities.