Tokyo

Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Japanese lawmakers have set up a group for foreign vegetarians so that they can eat without worries in Japan.

The group’s inaugural meeting was held in Tokyo on Wednesday. Its head is former Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The group will discuss specific measures, including a proposed certification system for foods that meet the requirements of even strict vegetarians, and make proposals to government agencies.

“We hope to consider measures with related groups,” Kawamura told the meeting, stating that devising such measures is an “urgent” task.

The meeting was also attended by a senior official of a group to spread information about vegetarians. “Only a few restaurants in Japan have menus of foods that vegetarians can eat without worries,” the official said.

At the meeting, vegetarian bento boxes including fried "maitake" mushrooms and tofu were served.

Jiji Press

ALSO READ: Why Japan is ranking higher among halal tourist destinations