![]() When the striker’s injured vertebra prevented him from playing in the semi-final, the country mourned the loss of its magician.īut Neymar isn’t the country’s only hope. The 7:1 loss against the German team felt like a reprimand from the angered pantheon-a sign Brazil should get back to the magic and beauty it’s known for.Īt that tournament, Neymar was the totem representing the ginga of the past his pedestrian teammates throwing his extraordinary ability into sharper focus. After more than a decade without a World Cup victory, Brazil forsook ginga in favor of a more aggressive determination to win at all costs, leading the World Cup in fouls committed. Even the spectacular failure of the Brazilian team at home felt otherworldly, with the squad too thoroughly ravaged for it not to have been fated. There’s even a word for the specific fusion of sorcery and skill embodied by so many of the nation’s players: ginga, the Portuguese term for a certain kind of sublime deftness on the pitch, something incorporating both the sway of hips and unfettered imagination.ĭuring the 2014 World Cup, the tournament felt similarly enchanted, with the endless goals in group play, the drastic reversals of fortune, and the impossible injury-time saviors. If they knew about it, then they would know they could eat safely.”Japanese officials have appealed to their Chinese counterparts, especially in their second-largest market Hong Kong, to avoid a ban.Some importers have meanwhile said they’re considering shipping their product through a third country.Chefs like Tanioka have said they’re now looking at sourcing ingredients from inside China to survive.And while even with the restrictions, China remains the largest importer of Japanese seafood, if these problems continue, that may not be the case for much longer.When it comes to soccer, Brazil is known worldwide as the land of the magicians. The fact that the average person just doesn't know this - this is the hardest thing. While more stringent Chinese checks have led to massive delays at customs, the bigger worry is what consumers are saying.Posts and hashtags on Chinese social media claim Japanese food is radioactive and should be boycotted.This customer said he was reassured by the steps China had taken, calling it a “responsible attitude.” But some say when it comes to Japanese food, there are misconceptions about what is and isn’t safe.67-year-old Japanese restaurant owner Kenji Kobayashi.(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 67-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE RESTAURANT OWNER, KENJI KOBAYASHI, SAYING:"I don’t know about the Fukushima water release in much detail, but if you have a look, you'll find other places are doing the same thing, releasing things into nature. ![]() ![]() That ban was later widened, and now covers 10 of Japan’s 47 prefectures.The latest restrictions were brought in as Japan plans to empty into the sea treated radioactive water from Fukushima - a move endorsed by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, but sharply criticised by China.(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 49-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE RESTAURANT OWNER, KAZUYUKI TANIOKA, SAYING:"Since around mid-July, with the planned release of treated radioactive water, the number of Chinese customers has slid around 90% due to worries about Japanese food ingredients.”Imports have since all but ground to a halt, with some Japanese officials fearing the worst is yet to come. STORY: To become a sushi chef like 49-year-old Kazuyuki Tanioka takes years of study and practice.Like many of his Japanese compatriots, his knife skill is likely among the best in the world.But it’s the ingredients he’s using which could yet bring down the curtain on his eight-year-old restaurant in the Chinese capital Beijing.(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 49-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE RESTAURANT OWNER, KAZUYUKI TANIOKA, SAYING:"The hardest thing for us now is that we can’t purchase any Japanese seafood at all because it’s taking so long to clear Chinese customs due to the treated radioactive water release issue.”Like most Japanese restaurants in China, Tanioka’s outlet Toya imports fish from Japan.But Chinese restrictions on some of those imports are making business harder.Shortly after the 2011 tsunami and earthquake damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, Beijing banned food and agricultural products from five Japanese prefectures. ![]()
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