Exchanges with Tokushima Prefecture

On May 13, Ambassador Yamakura visited Tokushima Prefecture with a view toward initiating sister-city relationships between Japan and Belize. First, Ambassador Yamakura paid a courtesy call on Governor Masazumi Gotoda. At the outset, Ambassador Yamakura noted that both Belize and Tokushima Prefecture are active producers of citrus fruits, and that there is also potential for cultivating “yuzu,” a specialty product of Tokushima Prefecture, in Belize. He further stated that he hoped to use cooperation in yuzu cultivation as a foundation for concluding sister-city agreements between municipalities in Tokushima Prefecture and Belize.In response, Governor Gotoda explained that the Kito area of Naka Town in Naka District is well known for yuzu cultivation, and that a business operator in Tokushima Prefecture is also advancing plans to export “Kito Yuzu” seedlings to Brazil for local cultivation.

Following the courtesy call on the Governor, Ambassador Yamakura visited “Kankitsu Terrace Tokushima” in Katsura Town and the “Satoyama Mirai” NPO in Kamiyama Town, both in Tokushima Prefecture. There, he observed the current state of yuzu cultivation in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas similar to those found in Belize, as well as initiatives aimed at regional revitalization and the development of processed agricultural products with a view toward revitalizing the agricultural workforce, while also receiving explanations from the relevant officials.

Ambassador Yamakura also visited the recently operational “Sudachi Essential Oil Center” run by JA Zen-Noh Tokushima, where he learned about examples of upcycled aroma essential oils produced from citrus peels generated during the sudachi juice extraction process, which could serve as a reference for future technology transfer and industrialization in Belize. In addition, he toured “PRISM LAB,” a sweets shop where a renowned pastry chef creates desserts using “Kito Yuzu.”