Welcome to the Wabi-Sabi podcast. This is episode number 192. The insider knowledge that Prime Minister

Ishiba gave to me and he wants you to know about preserving culture. Today I want to share with you

something that almost nobody outside of a small group

has heard yet. Five days ago, I went to cover an event directly for Prime Minister Shigeo

Ishiba from Japan. He was here in town for the UN and I was the only Japanese American journalist that was allowed in the press pit.

There were only six of us, and I believe that the other journalists were Japanese.

So what an honor to be covering such quality, engaging, and very interpersonal interactions regarding Japanese food and trade.

This is insider knowledge for all of you on this podcast.

This wisdom came directly from the Prime Minister of Japan and Japan's Ministry of Agriculture,

forestry, and fisheries. So this isn't any second-hand or third-hand information that's been

filtered through the news. This is straight from myself, the source, the journalist. And it's

the information that you can use to better understand where Japanese culture and food are

headed, where they intersect, and why it really matters to you and your every day.

Here's why we should listen closely. The Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke just days

ago in New York. His message was very clear. Japan will promote food exports,

not only to grow its economy, but to spread joy and well-being to all of you around the world.

He said that Japanese food, from rice to seafood, wagu beef to green tea, carries happiness, health, and heritage in every bite.

And that is a really big deal because when world leaders at the highest level talk about

their food from their culture, they're not just talking about products.

They're talking about the people, the culture, the character, and the national

identity of the country of origin. Here is what he really directly wanted to say to all of you.

Japanese rice is fluffy when shaped into rice balls like Onigiti.

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