In another blog of mine in Japanese, I wrote about rice balls sold in convenience stores in Malaysia.Though rice balls are unique food of Japan, after those are sold in Malaysia, new tastes of rice balls have appeared. The issue may have been something exotic though, I begun to think something more than an exotism.
Whereas, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan has initiated the Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries in 2016.
According to the Ministry, this certification aims to increase the number of chefs who wish to prepare Japanese cuisine with the appropriate knowledge and skills. I agree to the policy in the sense that Japanese traditional culture be maintained.
However, this is not to allow the exclusion and elimination of “inappropriate” Japanese cuisines.
It is extremely dangerous to remove things just because they are not genuine.
Some types of rice balls developed in Malaysia may be reimported to Japan in some day. At that time, will the Japanese try to remove them just because they are inappropriate?
In Japan, people had done somewhat similar: alter the foreign cuisine in a way to fit into Japanese consumers, develop it and exported to the foreign country. For example, Ramen and Curry Rice in Japan are original food of Japan. Both were transformed and re-imported to the original countries of China and India.
Something unorthodox sometimes evolve unexpectedly.
Currently in the United States, racism has become an imminent and serious agenda among people. Diversity, to respect different culture, is called for. The issue is originated from murders, which I think serious.
Although level of seriousness would be different in terms of situations between the US and Japan, I think a common mindset is in the roots.
Eliminating something different may result in something serious even if the issue is food. Because the difference of visible and trivial issues easily links to discriminations.
Good news is that, in post-Covid-19 era in Japan, the number of people who support the diversity is increasing, I feel. Whilst, I admit that they including myself have never fully understand the implication and change our behaviors.
Whether the issue is cuisines, cultures, genders, handicaps, etc.,
“We respect the differences.”
“We take the co-existence for granted.”
I hope such a community is made in Japan. ■