Yuka’s blog

 I recently read the news that Iris Ohyama has started donating pet food to animal welfare organizations across Japan. As someone who adopted my own dog from a shelter, this really touched me. I believe efforts to help shelter animals are incredibly important, and I sincerely hope that these activities continue to grow.  When big companies like Iris Ohyama support such causes, it brings more attention to shelter animals. I think it helps promote adoption and creates more ways people can support animals in need. I’m glad to see this kind of positive movement in society.   https://www.irisohyama.co.jp/news/2025/?date=0430&utm_source=chatgpt.com

  At KFC, unsold chicken is not thrown away, but instead is being reused as food. This initiative began in 2019 and has now expanded to approximately 500 locations in 14 prefectures across the country. Any chicken left over at the stores is frozen on the same day and delivered to children's cafeterias and other locations via food banks. Once delivered, the chicken is thawed and cooked at the recipient locations, and remade into dishes such as curry, stews, and oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowls). This reduces food waste and contributes to the local community. I think that if a big company like KFC takes on such an initiative, it will help promote the initiative and save many children and people. I thought that other companies might be doing similar initiatives, so I decided to look into it. https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/877764?page=2

  Starting next school year, all public school students in Arkansas will get free breakfast — no matter how much their families earn. The new law, signed in February 2025, is meant to help kids focus better in class and make sure no one goes hungry in the morning.  It’ll cost the state about $14.7 million a year. Supporters say it’s worth it — better food means better learning, fewer absences, and happier kids.  Compared to Japan, it’s a bit different. Some places in Japan do offer free lunches, but not everywhere. Arkansas is taking a big step. And maybe, Japan and the U.S. can learn a bit from each other. https://www.ishes.org/happy_news/2025/hpy_id003640.html

 Mrs. Tomomi Duquette is passionate about using sake to share Japanese culture with the world. Through her project “Niigata Sake Lovers,” she not only promotes sake but also involves people from different countries in rice farming and sake brewing. Her ideas go beyond business—they are about connecting people and traditions. What impressed me most was how she turned her vision into reality. She studied hard to understand sake deeply, left her company to follow her dream, and worked step by step to create a global sake community. Her efforts finally led her to win the Mrs. SAKE Japan 2024 Grand Prix.  One of the most memorable parts of her story was her focus on sustainability. She encourages the use of eco-bags instead of plastic and promotes choosing local sake over imported drinks. These actions may seem small, but they show how we can make conscious choices that help the environment. Inspired by this, I want to create a company in our group project that can contribute, eve...

The other day, I picked up a new pack of Churu for my cat—and noticed something interesting. The label was all in English. Turns out, it was an export version made for overseas! That’s when I realized. Churu isn’t just a Japanese thing anymore. It’s taking over the world. If you don’t already know, Churu is this magical, creamy cat treat that you squeeze right from the tube. My cat lives for it. And honestly, it’s super fun to feed. Seeing that export label got me curious, so I looked it up. Churu’s now sold in over 30 countries, including the U.S., Europe, and all across Asia. It’s become a global sensation—partly thanks to social media, where videos of cats losing their minds over Churu go totally viral. So yeah, I thought it was just a cute Japanese snack. But it turns out, it’s a worldwide cat obsession. And now my cat and I are part of it.

  Just before Golden Week, Izu Shaboten Zoo opened a new “Savannah Area,” featuring giraffes, ostriches, and other African animals. I think the timing was perfect, as it likely attracted more visitors and helped boost the local economy. I would love to visit this zoo someday. Feeding a giraffe and seeing it up close sounds like an amazing experience! https://hakata.keizai.biz/release/408022/?utm_source=chatgpt.com