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Japan Forward
31 minutes ago
- Japan Forward
Evolving Through Setbacks: A Sake Company Shows the Way
When I was invited to try Dassai sake brewed in New York, it was an offer I couldn't refuse, coming from one of Japan's most renowned brands. I'd like to say I boarded a flight to Manhattan, but instead, I went to a tasting event in an izakaya just a short walk from Tokuyama Station in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The event, held for local liquor shops and media representatives, took place ahead of the domestic release of Dassai's American-brewed sake. The sake went on sale in Japan on August 1. In June, the company changed its name from Asahi Shuzo to Dassai and set an ambitious goal of ¥100 billion JPY (about $680 million USD) in annual sales, roughly five times its current revenue. The company declared its aim to become a truly global brand. DASSAI BLUE Beyond - the First Step (©Asahi Shuzo) At the heart of that plan is the New York brewery, which opened in September 2023. It produces Dassai Blue, a sake crafted for international markets using local water and Yamadanishiki rice. "This sake was created with the hope that it will one day surpass Dassai brewed in Japan," said Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai, 74. "But it isn't finished yet. What matters most is that it continues to evolve so more and more people can enjoy it." Why hold the event in Yamaguchi rather than Tokyo? When asked, Sakurai explained, "I wanted this sake to spread across Japan starting from liquor shops here in Yamaguchi." After all, it was in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, that Dassai first created the Junmai Daiginjo, which put the brand on the world stage. For Sakurai, it also seemed like a way of returning to his roots — embracing change, taking risks, and refusing to grow complacent. And how did the sake measure up? Attendees noted aromas of "apple, pineapple, and nuts," a flavor that was "clear yet complex," and "a glimpse of the future of sake brewing in the United States." With local shop owners and even an American sake sommelier taking part, the event felt more like a lively wine tasting than a conventional sake launch. Global interest in sake is also on the rise. In December 2024, UNESCO recognized Japan's traditional sake brewing as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. With enthusiasm for Japanese culture reaching new heights, sake may well be on its way to achieving a status similar to wine. Encouraging news for Japan has also come from outside the world of sake. In August, one of the most-read articles on JAPAN Forward reported that the Australian Navy had chosen a Japanese design over a German one for its next-generation vessel. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (right) meets with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on the sidelines of a defense forum in Singapore. (©Sankei via Shusuke Takenouchi) Japan Secures Landmark Frigate Deal with Australia in Export Breakthrough With conflicts escalating across the world and China signaling moves to seize the Senkaku Islands in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, the Indo-Pacific security situation is growing more tense. In this context, Australia's decision was particularly welcome. Japan has stumbled in the past with major defense exports, losing bids to supply submarines to Australia, US-2 rescue aircraft to India, and P-1 patrol planes to the United Kingdom. But, after learning from those setbacks, it succeeded in exporting air defense radars to the Philippines. Now it appears to have broken through with its largest-ever defense equipment deal. So what is the secret behind these victories? At first glance, sake and defense may seem to have nothing in common. Yet in both cases, success has come by learning and evolving through repeated failures. Put simply, without setbacks, there can be no real progress. The world is in turmoil. In the midst of it, JAPAN Forward seeks to boldly take on the challenge of creating a new kind of Japanese media, unafraid of failure, as it strives to forge its own path to success. Watch for the next issue on September 15. JAPAN Forward is a small media outlet driven by an unparalleled passion to advance the future of Japan and its role in the world. For inquiries, please call 0570-033-433 (Sankei iD) or email us at info@ Author: Editor in Chief, Yasuo Naito


Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Canada News.Net
Indian PM's Independence Day speech highlights self-reliance
NEW DELHI, India: On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address to call for greater national self-reliance, urging India to manufacture everything from fertilisers to jet engines and electric vehicle batteries. He pledged to stand firmly behind farmers as the country faces a deepening trade dispute with Washington. The speech came against the backdrop of new U.S. tariffs that threaten to slow growth in what has been the world's fastest-growing major economy. U.S. President Donald Trump's latest measures—announced last week—slap an additional 25 percent duty on Indian exports, pushing some rates as high as 50 percent, among the steepest faced by any U.S. trading partner. Washington cited India's continued imports of Russian oil as the reason for the escalation, further straining relations between the two countries. Although Modi avoided mentioning the United States or tariffs directly, he framed his nearly two-hour address from the Red Fort in New Delhi around a promise to defend rural livelihoods. "Farmers, fishermen, cattle rearers are our top priorities," he declared. "Modi will stand like a wall against any policy that threatens their interests. India will never compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of our farmers." India and the United States recently saw their trade talks collapse after five rounds of negotiations, primarily over U.S. demands to open India's farm and dairy markets and to halt Russian oil purchases. In retaliation for the tariffs, some of Modi's supporters have called for boycotts of major American brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple. To counter the potential economic hit, Modi announced that lower goods and services tax (GST) rates will take effect from October, a move intended to boost domestic consumption. He also pressed for renewed commitment to "Swadeshi"—the promotion of Indian-made products—encouraging traders and shopkeepers to display signs marking local goods. Self-reliance has been a long-standing theme of Modi's economic policy, but the push has taken on new urgency amid global trade tensions and supply chain disruptions. He said India's first domestically produced semiconductor chips will reach the market by the end of this year, and that exploration for critical minerals is underway at more than 1,200 sites across the country. The stakes are high: in 2024, India exported nearly US$87 billion worth of goods to the U.S., with textiles, footwear, gems, and jewelry among the sectors most exposed to higher duties. While the trade rift is intensifying, New Delhi has sought to keep diplomatic channels open. On August 14, the foreign ministry expressed hope that ties with Washington would "move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests," aiming to calm fears of a deeper breakdown in relations.


Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Canada News.Net
US Democrats panel tariffs on India won't stop Putin, urge aid to Ukraine
Washington, DC [US], August 16 (ANI): House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said that imposing tariffs on India would not stop Russian President Vladimir Putin or end the conflict in Ukraine. House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems urged that, to address that issue, US President Donald Trump must provide Ukraine with the aid it needs and punish Putin directly. 'Tariffing India won't stop Putin. If Trump really wanted to address Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, maybe punish Putin and give Ukraine the military aid it needs. Everything else is smoke and mirrors,' the organisation said in a post on X. The committee also uploaded an interview with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in which he said that if the tariffs on India did not deter Russia, more secondary tariffs could follow. 'We've put secondary tariffs on the Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see if things don't go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up,' Bessent said, adding that Trump would make it clear to Putin what all options are there on the table. 'I'm not going to get ahead of the president, but the president is the best at creating leverage for himself, and he will make it clear to President Putin that all options are on the table,' he said. Bessent described sanctions as a dynamic factor, subject to change. 'Sanctions can go up. They can be loosened. They can have a definitive life. They can go on indefinitely. You know, there's this Russian shadow fleet of ships around the world that I think we could crack down on them. President Trump is meeting with President Putin and the Europeans are in the wings, harping about how he should do it, what he should do it,' he said. He said that the Europeans must also join the US in sanctions. 'But the Europeans need to join us in these sanctions. The Europeans need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions. I was at the G7 meeting in Canada with President Trump and the Europeans kept talking about Senator Graham's bill to do the secondary tariffs. And I looked at all the leaders around the table and I said, is everyone at this table willing to put a 200% secondary tariff on China. And you know what? Everybody wanted to see what kind of shoes they were wearing,' he said. (ANI)