Less “Soba”, More “Sake”
In a sober move to reduce the nation’s surplus rice, the Japanese cabinet recently decided to use more sake (rice brew) and rice at its official functions. And Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, a soba (noodle) addict, approved his Agriculture Minister’s decision to drop soba for his lunch in favour of katsudon (rice with pork cutlet) to set an example in the “eat more rice” drive. Japan’s surplus rice is expected to reach some five million tons this summer.
The Bulletin, February 1978
