Fukutsu's Event Brings Truth Behind Food in Japan
On July 27th, my partner Sayaka Takamitsu and I organized a presentation event titled "Realities Behind Food: What’s Not Covered by the Media in Japan." It was at the Fukutsu City Culture Center in Fukuoka, Japan.
We were excited to welcome many parents and children, some teachers, and even a few city council members to the event. There were at least 35 participants, including one who traveled 150 km to attend!
The presentation dove deep into the impacts of animal products on human health, animals, and the environment — topics that are largely overlooked in Japanese media. We focused on providing insights and information that are difficult to find on the Japanese internet, aiming to raise awareness about the hidden realities of animal agriculture.
The participants reported all very positive feedback about the presentation. Out of 17 non-vegan attendees who returned the feedback forms, 15 said they want to reduce or stop their consumption of animal products.
Trying to attract the children by wearing my astronaut suit
One parent said they felt angry realizing their own hypocrisy reading to their kids about ‘happy animals’ in children’s books while feeding their kids products of horrible treatment of animals. Others felt inspired by the event and set their minds to advocate actively for the animals instead of only being vegan passively. Some also expressed appreciation in learning effective ways of communicating these topics without making the audience defensive.
Since students in Japan generally don’t have a choice but to drink milk at schools, our fellowship program this year is trying to change that at a policy level. At the event, 12 more people signed our petition to make milk optional in school lunches in Fukutsu. While not everyone could sign due to residency restrictions, the support was inspiring. We feel that events like this are crucial for expanding the conversation on animal justice in Japan.
Stay tuned by following our updates on Instagram @dr.papa_tr.mama, and join the movement by signing our general petition at change.org/school-milk!
A group photo with participants who stayed after the event
Photos by Miho Watanabe
