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发表于 2011-1-28 21:50:34
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VOX POPULI: Bird flu and the threat to our chicken dinners
2011/01/28
Writer Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) was particular in his choice of restaurants and bars. He avoided going to pubs and watering holes frequented by writers and often showed up at posh restaurants in formal dress.
"I have eaten 'Prunier's sole pilaf' on countless occasions, but after a while, I want to eat it again." Prunier is the name of a French restaurant in Tokyo Kaikan, which is located by the moat of the Imperial Palace.
Around the time that the chanson cafe Gin-Paris opened in Tokyo's Ginza district, Mishima often took Akihiro Miwa, who was performing there, to nearby Ginza Candle, a restaurant serving Western dishes. His favorite dish was the "chicken basket," which is still a specialty there. All this I got from "Sakka no Sake" (Writers' drinks) published by Heibonsha Ltd.
Ranging from snacks favored by great literary figures to daily meals served at home, no other meat is as versatile as chicken. Since there are few religious or other taboos against eating chicken, it is also commonly served on international flights.
I can think of few people who don't like fried chicken. But there are dark clouds looming over this tasty meat, which can be served Japanese-, Chinese- or Western-style.
The feared spread of bird flu has started to hit the poultry industry. In Miyazaki Prefecture, 420,000 chickens were culled. Since that began, a large number of chickens raised in Kagoshima and Aichi prefectures have also been found dead.
Earlier, avian flu viruses had been found in a wintering ground of cranes near the chicken farm in Kagoshima Prefecture where many birds had died. The calamity facing mass-production centers may have a major impact on the supply of chicken meat and eggs.
Wild birds are under the jurisdiction of the Environment Ministry, while poultry raising is under the farm ministry. The education ministry is responsible for zoos, while human infections fall under the jurisdiction of the health ministry.
Unfortunately, bird flu strikes without regard to which office is in charge. That is why the government must hasten to fully prepare itself to counter the attack as one.
Wild birds carrying viruses can be likened to stealth bombers. Chickens huddled together on the ground are fearfully looking up at the sky. The English word "chicken" also means coward. We must pay close attention and do everything we can to protect poultry houses and our tables from invisible enemies.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 27 |
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