Fukushima rice for the Emperor

November 28, 2013

Fukushima rice delivered to Imperial Palace

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131128p2g00m0dm032000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A portion of rice harvested in a Fukushima Prefecture town for the first time after the March 2011 nuclear disaster has been delivered to the Imperial Palace in line with the wish of Emperor Akihito, the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday.

Farmers in Hirano town, about 20 kilometers south of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, resumed planting rice about three years after voluntarily suspending it following the nuclear meltdown at the station.

Mayor Motohoshi Yamada presented 1,920 kilograms of freshly harvested rice to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late October. The rice will be used at staff cafeterias of different government offices including the Imperial Household Agency.

On Nov. 20, 120 kg of the rice was delivered to the Imperial Household Agency. After being notified of the delivery, the emperor said, "Because the rice must have been made with struggles (of farmers), we'd like to have some as well," according to the agency. A portion of the rice was delivered to the Imperial Palace on Tuesday, it said.

"It is a sheer pleasure for the town as well as for producers to be able to have the fresh rice harvested for the first time in three years tasted by the emperor. It will be a great encouragement for the reconstruction," Deputy Mayor Koki Kuroda said in a statement.