FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE ORIENT

My final posting from the Orient begins with a simple solution to Japan’s trade problems, remarks on my walk through the Meiji Shrine, provides bizarre factoids and concludes with an educational opportunity for Green Enertopia.

I have a recommendation for the Japanese government: terminate all rice subsidies. Let the free market prevail! Rice is at the base of your trade problems and unaffordable lifestyle. It costs more to produce rice in Japan than the exorbitant price charged to customers. Japanese rice can compete only because there is an import tariff of $2/pound. (Why, I'm not sure, but I did buy five kilograms each of the top four brands, two from Niigata and one each from Akita and Iwate. I think I'll have a rice tasting session.)

Here is what will happen if you’re (Diet and Prime Minister) brave enough to withstand the predictable hysterics of farmers. First of all, they are mostly all old, so they don’t really care that much for involved anguish. Their lobbyists cause all the problem. Their children almost couldn’t care less because they certainly don’t want to be burdened with something so unsophisticated as farming. The land can be sold to corporations and they all can live happily and comfortably.

One thing I’ve noticed in this train journey is the overwhelming abundance of rice fields. What a waste of space for a country requiring land for new growth.

So where will Japan get its rice in the future? From Thailand, China and anywhere else, at half the present cost, or less. Japanese companies can form partnerships to grow Japonica rice, as opposed to the Indica rice now generally imported from those suppliers.

California, incidentally, already grows Japonica, and in certain taste tests, the difference is marginal. The magic rice is koshihikari. Yes, California rice is koshihikari. Forget about that great Niigata water. Like for beer, it’s all in the marketing. Here is why expensive Japanese rice tastes better. The reason is similar to expensive wines. If you know you paid a lot for something, surely, it must taste better. The same 20 pound bag of Japanese rice, which costs $40, sells for $14 in California.

Thus, within the decade, if Japan takes this giant step to break the trade barrier ice to become more competitive, the cost of living in Japan will significantly drop because land prices will plummet, with rice and food subsequently also becoming cheaper. Of course, there will need to be a transition period, and the best minds will need to carefully plan this future, mostly because society hates change of this kind, and it will take the Japanese equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Barack Obama to make a difference.

Rice is at the root of Japan’s problems today. Prime Minister Hatoyama, from one Stanford graduate to another, here is one way for the Democratic Party of Japan to make a real difference! [Anyone from Japan: please send this recommendation to the DPJ.]

Yesterday was a day of quiet walks and an educational opportunity for Green Enertopia.

1. The area around the Meiji Shrine

is all green, brown or gray, exuding calmness and tranquility, but, you can say, also excruciatingly boring. The only diversion, is, here and there, a distinct malodor of gingko droppings. What your olfactories detect is butyric acid, which is also responsible for the smell of barf or vomit. Only female trees provide the nut/seed, so some countries (especially the USA) have begun to eradicate them. No gender equity here. Like some animals, though, one percent of male trees can change their sex. The leaves, still green today at the Meiji Shrine, turn yellow in the later fall and the plant almost looks like Pearl’s Yellow Flower Tree:

The seeds themselves, when properly treated, are used in Chinese congee, Japanese chawanmushi and at high end tempura restaurants. This was one of Pearl’s favorite foods. The leaf can be processed into gingko biloba, said, by some, to enhance memory and treat dementia. While there is no confirming medical evidence, some of these trees live more than a thousand years, so, no doubt, this is why the link was made to long life.

2. Here is a sign from the Meiji Shrine grounds, which confused me:

I think it was trying to say that only pedestrians were allowed on this road.

A hand sanitalizer at the Westin:

Ever wonder what might be a Nippon Ham Fighter? No it is not a ham fighter.

It is the baseball team of Sapporo, and the correct combination is Nippon Ham, with the nickname of Fighters.

Yu Darvish, (more accurately, Darvishsefad) their 23-year old star pitcher, who throws up to 98 miles per hour, an Iranian-Japanese hybrid, could well soon become the most dominant pitcher in baseball. The Fighters won the league championship the night I spent in Sapporo.

3. According to Hiromi Hotta, I have something called “en” friends in Haruna Sekiya and Rio Yoshida. Just shows that American and Japanese cultures have subtle differences so that I fail to appreciate certain kinds of relationships. They

could well be our next generation leaders for Green Enertopia, a concept now being developed by Kiryun Choi of South Korea.

At Robuchon’s for dessert:

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The Dow Jones Industrials closed at a one year high (but are still 30% lower than the all time high exactly two years ago), up 78 to 9864. World markets were mixed, but the Japan Nikkei is now at 10016. Gold dropped $1/toz to $1049, but crude oil rose to $72/barrel.

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The rainfall from former Typhoon Parma reached 28 inches in North Luzon, killing 160, mostly from landslides, but the effect on South Taiwan was unbelievable. Hawaii averages 72 inches of rainfall annually. Parma has brought 72 inches of rain over the past few days to portions of Taiwan. It is now a tropical depression, but should strengthen a bit and head for Hainan Island.

Former Super Typhoon (once up to 165 MPH) Melor death toll in Japan is now four. Here, this largest typhoon to cruise through Japan in a decade, did not even affect the electricity of the Tokyo Westin Hotel. Since then, the weather in Tokyo has been gorgeous.

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