Japan has rolled out a salt reduction campaign to reduce the hypertension rate among its people, as one in every three Japanese is estimated to suffer from high blood pressure, with high salt content considered to be the primary cause. A restaurant in downtown Tokyo specializing in tempura and soba noodles has been offering low-salt, health-conscious meals since last year, with the amount of salt per dish kept to an average of two to three grams.
Customers who prefer a light taste can further dilute the dipping sauce with the accompanying plain soup. No salt for sauce is added during the tempura preparation; instead, a salt shaker is provided so that customers can season their food according to their taste and health needs.
"As high blood pressure tends to develop with age, reducing daily salt intake is the most important thing for me," said a local resident.
"In general, older adults, fitness enthusiasts, and even some younger people are paying more attention to reducing salt intake. People are becoming increasingly health-conscious, and there are more and more customers with such needs," said Seitoku Seimiya, restaurant director.
According to statistics from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average daily salt intake among Japanese people is 9.8 grams, nearly twice the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
To encourage restaurants to offer healthier meals, the Tokyo Metropolis Bureau of Public Health launched a certification program for restaurants that provide low-salt dishes and services in October last year. Certified restaurants are allowed to display standardized promotional banners and signs, and their information is published on the Tokyo Metropolis government’s official website.
Currently, there are 73 certified low-salt restaurants in Tokyo.
"It is essential for the public to understand the healthy dietary standards from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives," said Kiyotaka Chiba, director of the Health Promotion Division of the Tokyo Metropolis Bureau of Public Health.
In Japanese cuisine, commonly used seasonings like soy sauce and miso paste are also high in sodium in addition to salt. As health awareness increases, many brands have started offering reduced-sodium seasonings.
To reduce salt without compromising flavor, a Japanese company is collaborating with university research institutions to develop an "electric seasoning" device.
The device generates a mild electric current in the mouth by applying electrodes to the chin and the back of the neck, enhancing taste perception through electrical stimulation. Research has shown that, for example, a 0.5 percent saline solution can be perceived as up to 1.6 times saltier than its actual concentration.
Japan rolls out salt reduction campaign to reduce hypertension rate
Japan rolls out salt reduction campaign to reduce hypertension rate
Foreign guests attending the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting have praised the contemporary relevance and global contributions of the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative, calling for joint international efforts to enhance dialogue among civilizations and deepen mutual learning at a time when the world faces multiple challenges.
The meeting opened in Beijing on Thursday, with a focus on the importance of cultural diversity and mutual learning in advancing human progress.
Themed "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development," the two-day event has attracted over 600 guests from 140 countries and regions.
They also stressed the importance of promoting mutual understanding among peoples and fostering harmony among different cultures, adding that collective wisdom and cooperation are needed to build a more inclusive and peaceful world.
Irina Bokova, former director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, said the initiative's inclusive vision has focused not only on China but on the entire world, which reflects the far-sighted vision of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"His deep conviction that dialogue among civilizations is the foundation of global peace, prosperity and well-being of all people. I think the inclusiveness of this initiative, which is not just oriented towards China but towards all of the world today, is very important," she said.
George Katrougalos, former foreign minister of Greece, said the initiative offers a counterweight to unilateralism and hegemonic practices.
"Now with international relations are returning to unilateralism, [and] to hegemonic practices, this is quite the contrary message that working all together, without any kind, let's say of hegemonies, we can arrive at very harmonious international relations," he said.
Elyn MacInnis is the founder of "Friends of Kuliang," a group gathering descendants of U.S. families who once lived in Kuliang of China's Fujian Province. In her view, the initiative is helping point the world in the right direction.
"China is doing so much, [doing] good things in front of us, as we're moving forward in history," she said.
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf noted that the civilization ensures peace is accessible as it stresses mutual trust and understanding.
"You cannot have peace without trust, without understanding, without people-to-people exchange. And that's what the Global Civilization Initiative does," Sharaf said.
President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday sent a congratulatory letter to the meeting.
In his letter, he pledged that China will work with other countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and implement the Global Civilization Initiative, in a bid to provide fresh impetus for advancing human civilizations and promoting world peace and development.
Int'l guests laud Global Civilization Initiative, call for deeper dialogue amid global challenges
