THANK-SOY DAY, a soy food event recently held in Tokyo, brought together 50 consumers that call themselves “SOY-fanatic.” Nifty Corporation, the leading internet service provider in Japan, hosted the event.
Three speakers from the Japanese food bean industry conducted a panel discussion on soy and soy foods. Speakers from Yamaguchi Bussan, Kamakurayama Natto, a high-end fermented soybean brand, and Artisan Soy Sauce, discussed how Japan relies heavily on imports to meet soy demand for human consumption, especially from the United States.
The event also held a taste-test with Natto products made from U.S. and domestic soybeans. Seventy percent of participants preferred U.S. soy to domestic soybeans. This event initiated by the Japanese soy industry promoted benefits of U.S. soy compared to other origins and improved the perception of U.S soy to its Japanese customers.