IGC Reception to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the IGC in the UK
2019/6/13
On the occasion of the 49th Session of the International Grains Council (IGC) and the 28th International Grains Conference, His Excellency Mr Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador of Japan to the UK, and in his role as IGC Chairman, Mr Shuichi Akamatsu, Minister for Economy, Embassy of Japan, hosted a reception commemorating the success of 70 years of international grains trade cooperation.Nearly 200 guests from both public and private sectors related to the grains industry were present, while Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP also attended and made remarks to celebrate the IGC’s remarkable success.
To mark this occasion, the Embassy showcased a variety of Japanese food and drink products, including authentic sushi and wagyu, rice-based sake and Okinawan spirit awamori, fermented foods made from soy-beans such as tofu and miso, and Japanese draft beer. Other rare specialities included Japan’s highest quality melon. Guests also enjoyed high quality delights including sake and rice from the Fukushima area which was affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
During his remarks, Ambassador Tsuruoka commended the IGC and expressed his deep gratitude to the UK government for its hosting of the intergovernmental organisation for 70 years. Regarding the food products from Fukushima, he talked about the recovery efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Japan’s efforts to counter the reputational damage to food and agricultural products from Japan, and especially of Fukushima, by disseminating information overseas on the safety and appeal of those products.
The Embassy of Japan