Latest news with #Tsuchida
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Skagit Delta tidegate repair awaits resolve of legal action
Land lies protected for farming by dikes and tidegates in Skagit County, as the islands of the San Juan Archipelago rise on the horizon. (Photo by Salish Current) This article was first published by the Salish Current. If the tidegates on No Name Slough — an estuary at the Skagit River delta — appear to be stained, crusted and a bit sagging with age, it could be because they are 60 years old. If they fail, 450 acres of prime farmland could be inundated with salt water spilling in from Padilla Bay, and lost to farming. The Skagit Delta tidegates have a simple purpose: to drain farmland when the tide goes out, then block incoming tides when they come lapping at the gate. The Skagit River delta produces about 90% of the agricultural value of all farms in Skagit County. Some of the highest value crops — spinach and cabbage seed, wheat and barley — grow on the soil protected by the diking districts. The gates have made the Skagit River delta one of the state's most productive farmland areas, acre for acre, for 140 years. Now, the future of farming on 60,000 acres of delta land protected by a network of dikes and 100 tidegates can no longer be assumed. The issue is now being fought in federal court. A lawsuit brought by Skagit Dike, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement District 12 seeks to overturn a biological opinion by National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, that the district says imposed onerous impact fees for merely repairing existing infrastructure. The fate of the Skagit delta's highly fertile farmland is inextricably intertwined with that of the Chinook salmon, classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, or ESA. The district lost its request for summary judgement in the first round on April 28, when U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Tsuchida ruled for NMFS on all key claims. The decision was based on review of documents filed by both sides. Tsuchida's decision mooted his earlier decision in 2024 that the district could proceed with repairs because NMFS had taken too long in its environmental review of the tidegate repair permit. At issue, notes the ruling, is 'NMFS' conclusion that the No Name Slough tidegate project would further reduce the quality and perpetuate poor conditions of nearshore and estuary habitat for Puget Sound Chinook for an additional 50 years' — thus necessitating habitat mitigation and restoration. In bringing suit, District 12 contends the project is 'a simple tidegate replacement which does not expand the footprint of existing structures, and provides benefits to fish.' Commissioners of the district voted on May 12 to file an appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A hearing before a three-judge appeals panel is not yet scheduled. Jenna Friebel, executive director of the consortium that represents all 12 diking districts, said her organization 'disagrees with and is disappointed with the district court's decision.' A rule that NMFS adopted in November of 2020 imposes substantial mitigation fees for any nearshore infrastructure repairs, from tidegates to Port of Seattle piers. The No Name Slough tidegates are the first in the Skagit delta system to face the consequences of the rule. Before the change, the Skagit Tidegate Fish Initiative, or TFI, in 2010 established a system whereby tidegate improvements could be made without having to go to NMFS for permission for every individual project. The Diking District 12 tidegate replacement on No Name Slough has been pending for four years, since the district's original application for a permit approval from NMFS. The ruling expands the baseline for determining effects of a repair project from the immediate vicinity of the work to the entire Puget Sound range of Chinook salmon. The next step under ESA, unless conditions for Chinook recovery show improvement, would be to declare the species endangered, triggering more stringent rules to protect the fish. The rule also has been extended to include repairs to public infrastructure such as piers, waterfront bulkheads, ports and any other project that NMFS decides must involve mitigation fees. For District 12, that would add $2.5 million in mitigation fees on top of whatever it costs to replace the tidegate and repairs to a section of the dike around it. What NMFS wants to have mitigated is the subject of a lawsuit the district filed against the agency last December. Tsuchida sided with the federal fisheries agency on virtually every issue, citing at one point the 'deference' given to NMFS as the source of expertise and scientific knowledge on the ESA. Despite disagreement with the ruling, 'our member districts remain committed to working with state and federal resource agencies and local tribes to develop solutions to the complex at hand that are grounded in facts and science,' Friebel said. Senior Civil Prosecutor Will Honea, who deals with natural resource issues, said that Skagit County government has no direct stake in the District 12 lawsuit against NMFS. 'However,' he said, 'We are concerned that NMFS's single-minded focus on punitive regulatory measures is preventing productive progress in the Skagit, damaging the Skagit fisheries resource, hampering our ability to prepare for sea level rise and climate change and creating unnecessary conflict in our community.' NMFS officials have declined to comment on the ruling. The TFI was intended to make the process of obtaining permits for work on tidegates easier for applicants. The Army Corps of Engineers was empowered to issue permits directly for tidegate repairs under terms of the TFI approved by NMFS. It created an oversight board consisting of dike district representatives, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Skagit County, state Fish and Wildlife and NMFS, with a staff member acting as coordinator. The program included a system by which districts could acquire 'credits' by doing work that made 'operational improvements' to their tidegate systems. Districts could do the work even if they did not have any credits stored. The Swinomish objected, complaining that the districts were using the operational improvements to do work that was more than the system should have allowed. The tribe gave 60 days notice of intent to sue NMFS. The tribe threatened to sue the Corps of Engineers for approving the District 12 work after its own finding that the project would have minimal effect on the threatened Chinook.
The Mainichi
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
JRFU demands reinstatement of chairman to Asia Rugby, apology for ban
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japan Rugby Football Union has demanded the immediate reinstatement of its Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi to the Asia Rugby executive committee and will seek a public apology after an independent investigation found no basis for his suspension by the regional ruling body in February. In a strongly worded statement released Thursday, JRFU President Masato Tsuchida said the finding by a World Rugby-appointed disciplinary officer of no wrongdoing by Iwabuchi was a rebuke to Asia Rugby over its suspension of the 49-year-old former Japan flyhalf. "The JRFU is delighted that through this independent World Rugby-led investigation, Mr. Iwabuchi's reputation has been restored, and Asia Rugby has been called out for its significant governance failures and lack of transparency," Tsuchida said. Asia Rugby on Feb. 24 announced its temporary suspension of Iwabuchi as vice president over "a potential code of conduct breach" while providing no further details. World Rugby said the allegation stemmed from Iwabuchi raising queries with Asia Rugby "regarding the contents of documents" he was asked to sign as an executive, and that these were "entirely reasonable queries" showing "good governance practice on his part." "While the outcome is a relief for both Mr. Iwabuchi and the JRFU, the reckless behavior of Asia Rugby in suspending Mr. Iwabuchi without any due process and issuing a vague and potentially defamatory press release at the time is very damaging to the reputation of Asia Rugby," Tsuchida said. World Rugby has notified Asia Rugby that it expects Iwabuchi to be reinstated. The JRFU said it will request that the president of Asia Rugby, Qais Al-Dhalai, issue a public apology to Iwabuchi.
Japan Times
15-03-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
At Ventinove, Tuscan specialties taken to new heights
The road leading up to Ventinove is neither arduous nor particularly scenic. Climbing steadily from the western fringe of the Kanto Plain, you make your way through tidy, prosperous rural communities in the foothills of the mountains of central Gunma Prefecture until you arrive at Kawaba Village on the southern slope of Mount Hotaka. When you finally see woodlands, you know you're really close. The upland air is clear and chilly as you step from your car. Sunlight filters through a sylvan canopy of leaves. The sound of rushing water reaches your ears, nearby but out of sight. And there, tucked away behind the historic Tsuchida sake brewery and overlooking a watercourse that feeds into the mighty Tone River, stands a low-slung building incongruous with its sleek, angular architecture: Ventinove, destination restaurant par excellence. Ventinove is not a large operation — it has just two tables for four people plus a private room seating eight — but the dining room is enviably spacious, with huge, floor-to-ceiling picture windows that frame the changing scenery and seasons. It also still feels very new. Chef Yusuke Takeuchi chose Ventinove as the name of his restaurant to reflect both his training in Italian cuisine and his focus on meat. | TAKAO OHTA When chef Yusuke Takeuchi and his wife Mai opened Ventinove in October 2022, they decided they would handle every part of the process themselves — he in the kitchen but also out hunting and foraging; she in charge of the front of the house. So, to keep their workload manageable, they now only serve a maximum of eight people (and just two groups) each day. By contrast, at their previous restaurant, the hugely popular Trattoria 29 in Tokyo's Nishiogikubo district, they turned tables twice each evening. The drawback: They found themselves so under pressure and stretched for time they were unable to develop the menu any further. Trattoria 29 was a firm favorite of the local community for the best part of nine years, since February 2011. It was doing well until, without warning, they were told in late 2019 that the building was being redeveloped and they'd have to be out by the end of March 2020. Unable to secure new premises in the neighborhood and hamstrung by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, they eventually decided to relocate to Takeuchi's hometown in Gunma. The excellence of 'bistecca alla Fiorentina' (Florentine steak) lies in the contrasting rare meat at the center and the crisp, well-browned exterior, and at Ventinove, the results speak for themselves. | TAKAO OHTA Although Takeuchi was born in Tokyo, his father had developed a deep connection with Kawaba Village and used to lead outdoor activities for city kids there. By the time the family moved there when Takeuchi was 10, he had already been taking part in the annual summer camps run by his father in the nearby forests. For him, the move to Kawaba was revelatory. "I realized that, having left when I was 18, I had no idea about this land,' he says. 'I was amazed at its richness and, as a chef, excited by the sheer abundance of ingredients in the fields, mountains, rice paddies and rivers." Takeuchi now sources just about every ingredient he needs from within the prefecture, including meat, cheese and river fish — although he serves no seafood, as Gunma is landlocked. The only exceptions are the olive oil and hard Italian cheese, some seasonings and the wine in his cellar (also from Italy). The spacious dining room at Ventinove looks out over the forested foothills in Kawaba, Gunma Prefecture. | TAKAO OHTA The move to the mountains has facilitated another major evolution in his cuisine. All the cooking at Ventinove is now done over locally sourced firewood (rather than charcoal), either in the grill or, indirectly, on a large cooker converted from a traditional kamado stove. These two essential workhorses stand in Takeuchi's open kitchen, along with the worktop where he prepares his dishes. While there are no seats at this counter, guests are encouraged to stand and watch him as he explains the ingredients while readying his hyper-seasonal omakase (chef's special) menu. Even those visiting for the first time can guess from the name Takeuchi's primary culinary focus. 'Ventinove' is Italian for "29," but it is also a clue to his particular area of expertise: In Japanese, 29 can be read as "ni-ku," a homophone for the word for "meat." The focus of chef Yusuke Takeuchi's open kitchen — and his meat-centric cuisine — is his wood-fired grill. | TAKAO OHTA From 2006 through 2008, Takeuchi was in central Italy, training and polishing his skills in restaurant kitchens. In his final year, he went to work for Dario Cecchini, arguably the best (and certainly best-known) butcher and meat restaurant in the country. There, he learned how to break down and make the best use of entire carcasses. He also picked up a great recipe for lampredotto, the most famous of Florentine tripe dishes, which he now serves as part of every meal. More importantly, he also learned the secrets of preparing bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak), often considered the crowning glory of Tuscan cuisine. This is a loin steak on the bone — in Florence it is supposed to be about three fingers (5 to 6 centimeters) thick — which must be grilled over live coals (charcoal or wood fire) till it is crisp and browned but still with pink, rare meat inside. This has become a signature dish for Takeuchi, one he used to grill over charcoal at his Tokyo trattoria. Now, using his new wood-fired grill at Ventinove, he has finessed his technique. The essential first step is to warm the meat sufficiently just outside the grill beforehand. This shortens the time it needs to spend over the embers and produces the best contrast of rare and well-browned meat. In deference to Japanese appetites (and budgets), he offers a cut much thinner than a classic Florentine steak at just 1½ cm. As with all his ingredients, Takeuchi sources his beef locally, primarily using Akagi cattle, a breed raised on the slopes of the nearby sacred Mount Akagi, which he ages a couple of months before it's ready for the grill. Chef Yusuke Takeuchi and his wife Mai opened Ventinove in October 2022, relocating to Gunma Prefecture after they had to close their Tokyo trattoria on short notice during the COVID-19 pandemic. | TAKAO OHTA Interestingly, he does not rub the meat with salt or any other seasoning before putting it on the grill. He says the aromas of the wood smoke, combined with the complex flavors of the Maillard reaction (the browning process), are all that's needed. The results speak for themselves. This bistecca forms the centerpiece of Ventinove's upper (¥18,500) menu, which also includes three different pasta dishes. Alternatively, there is a ¥15,500 menu that includes two meat courses — sirloin steak and another dish (duck, chicken or wild meats such as bear or boar in winter) — with a choice of two pastas. Either way, another highlight is the salad course. Takeuchi will come to the table carrying a large, wide, well-worn wooden bowl that was once used to mix the dough for farmhouse noodles. Now it holds the component ingredients for preparing mayonnaise from scratch. He first rubs a jumbo clove of garlic across the bottom of the bowl and mashes up an onsen tamago (soft-boiled egg), then drizzles in extra virgin olive oil and local cider vinegar. Once this is all mixed, he blends in the salad ingredients one by one. These may include some or all of the following: chopped kaki (persimmon); pieces of sōmen kabocha (spaghetti squash); julienned root vegetables (several varieties of daikon, carrot and beet) and leafy greens. Finally, after plating this salad, he grates Parmesan cheese over the top. Chef Yusuke Takeuchi's signature dish is his on-bone 'bistecca alla Fiorentina' (Florentine steak), which he prepares from local Akagi-gyu beef aged around 60 days. | TAKAO OHTA Besides the entertainment of this table-side performance, it is also an opportunity to observe Takeuchi in action close-up and to find out more about the provenance of the various ingredients. After the meat course, he will return to the table with another wooden bowl, this time as a show-and-tell of the day's half-dozen pastas, all of which will be prepared fresh (gnocchi and risotto are also options). In Italy, these would normally precede the meat dishes. Here, following the Japanese pattern, pasta and rice are the final course, followed only by a seasonal dessert. It is a fabulous meal in a superb setting: so good that you may not want to tear yourself away, especially if you have delved into the possibilities of Ventinove's wine cellar and are not prepared to drive any further. Fortunately, the Takeuchis have this covered. Upstairs, they provide simple lodging (an extra ¥20,000; hearty breakfast included). Alternatively, there are several onsen (hot springs) and winter sports facilities in the vicinity, where the accommodations range from functional to luxurious. By car, it takes around 40 minutes to Jomo Kogen, the nearest Shinkansen station, and about 10 minutes longer to Takasaki. But it is worth allowing more time than that just to take in the scenery. And before leaving the village, drop by the Kawaba Denen Plaza, a classy michi-no-eki (roadside stop) that boasts noodle and pizza restaurants, a well-stocked farmers market, fresh-made cheese and even fruit-picking in season — along with the usual refreshments and souvenirs. Yachi 2593-1, Kawaba Village, Tone-gun, Gunma 378-0101; open 3-7 p.m. (last order), closed Wed. & Thu.; omakase (chef's choice) menus ¥15,500 & ¥18,500, wine pairings from ¥8,000; nearest stations Numata, Jomo Kogen; no smoking; some English spoken
