Originally Posted by Nikkei

Govt To Certify 'Authentic' Japan Restaurants Abroad

TOKYO --The government will from fiscal 2007 introduce a new system for certifying the quality of food and service provided at Japanese restaurants operating abroad, it was learned Wednesday.

An increasing number of eateries overseas are trying to ride the Japanese cuisine boom while providing food and service that is far from authentic or otherwise substandard. The government believes that issuing special certifications to restaurants that meet certain quality conditions will make it easier for diners to identify "real" Japanese restaurants.

It also hopes the new system will help promote exports of agricultural products by making foreign consumers more aware of quality Japanese foods....

Panel discussion will focus on three items: setting standards for service as well as what percentage of Japanese-made food materials should be contained in menus and how to prepare them; selecting countries and cities to be covered by the system; and determining whether a public or private organization should issue the certifications.