JAPANESE RESTAURANTS -thailand seen as regional springboard

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/02/17/business/business_30095883.php

By Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn
The Nation
Published on February 17, 2009




Network to boost fish, agricultural exports as home demand slows
Amid a domestic recession and a downturn in Japanese consumption, that country's government is promoting fish and agriculture exports through a well-recognised international network of Japanese restaurants.


Thailand will be in the top five of strategic countries targeted to promote Japanese restaurants in Southeast Asia, Yasumasa Asai, head of the Thai branch of the Organisation to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad (JRO), told a press conference yesterday in Bangkok.


"We are promoting Thailand as a hub and key springboard for expanding Japanese restaurants into other neighbouring markets in Asean, including Singapore and Myanmar [Burma]," he said. "We'll launch many measures set to help about 1,000 Japanese eateries run by 500 entrepreneurs in Thailand be more competitive amid the current economic difficulties."


Asai said the number of Japanese restaurants in Thailand had already increased sharply from last year, when about 750 outlets were operating.


He said measures to fight the bad economy, including having operators of Japanese restaurants pool their purchases of food ingredients and raw materials, would be enhanced, in order to reduce costs.


Up to 15 per cent of ingredients in Japanese food, such as specific kinds of alcohol and fish, have been imported from Japan, while certain ingredients, such as soy sauce, miso and some fruits, could be produced and locally sourced in Thailand.


"We'll work together to create new menus that require a good combination of Thai and Japanese ingredients," Asai said.


He said the JRO had developed a strategy focused on expanding Japanese restaurants in key regions, particularly East and Southeast Asia.


Due to its large population, Bangkok will play a major role in expanding Japanese restaurants into neighbouring countries.


"We've set a target of 300 official members this year and 500 next year," said Asai.




He said the JRO considered Thailand a significant potential market, posting strong annual sales growth by Japanese restaurants of 20 per cent. There are now 500 companies operating such restaurants in Thailand, half of them Japanese firms.


"Another 30 or 40 Japanese-restaurant entrepreneurs in Japan have shown an interest in opening outlets in Thailand in the near future," said Asai.


The JRO is a non-profit organisation established to promote Japanese restaurants in foreign countries. It has branch offices in 10 markets around the world, including Thailand and Singapore in Southeast Asia. Other offices are planned soon in Spain, Germany, Italy, Dubai and Hong Kong.


President and CEO Kazu Katoh said Japanese restaurants were popular and existed in many countries.


An estimated 25,000 Japanese restaurants operate in major cities around the world, excluding small sushi outlets in supermarkets.


"The JRO has a mission of supporting and exchanging valuable ideas between Japanese-restaurant entrepreneurs worldwide. Our aim is also to promote the value and benefit of Japanese food, including the use of original ingredients and cooking techniques on a global scale," said Katoh.


The JRO opened its Thai office last year to encourage entrepreneurs in the Kingdom achieve the highest benefit for consumers.


Mitsuhito Sendai, director of the Food Service Industry Office in Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, called supporting Japanese restaurants in all major countries around the world part of his government's strategy for boosting exports of fish and agricultural products used as major ingredients in Japanese food. This will help counter the local recession and the significant decline in domestic consumption resulting from a lower birth rate.


"The ministry has set a target of increasing its exports of fish and agricultural products to ฅ1 trillion [Bt382 billion] in 2013, from ฅ300 billion in 2006," said Sendai.


While achieving annual growth of 10 per cent in export sales from 2004-07, the value of Japanese exports of fish and agricultural products was stagnant last year at about ฅ430 billion, due to the global economic turmoil.