SUKOYAKA
For Life-Long Health

17News Letter Vol.

Published January 23, 2015
Public Interest Incorporated Foundation

Japan Association for
Improving School Lunch
Yotsuya 3-12, Shinjukuku, Tokyo 160-0004 Japan
Phone: +81-3-3357-6755
Fax: +81-3-3357-6756
URL: http://www.gakkyu.or.jp— For the sound growth and wellbeing of our children —The role of milk and dairy products in school lunches

Photo: Kodaira 6th Elementary School, Kodaira

Participants
Masanori Osawa
Hideko Shirai
Noriko Tsukahara
Teiji Nakamura

Principal, Shiba-Fuji Elementary School, Kawaguchi
School Dietitian, Kodaira 6th Elementary School, Kodaira
Associate Professor, Field of Health and Nutrition, Department of Health and Welfare,
Graduate School, Niigata University of Health and Welfare
President, Kanagawa University of Human Services andHonorary Chairman of The Japan Dietetic Association

Coordinator
Mihoko Nagashima President, School Dietitian Conference of Japan(Titles omitted, Japanese syllabary order)

The recent registration of Japanese food, washoku, as UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage spurred debate
in conferences and in the media over the role of milk in Japanese food, washoku, served in school lunches.
In this volume, experts discuss school lunches and the role that milk and dairy products play in Japanese menus
in an effort to evaluate the roles they played. This volume is dedicated to all those who have concerns regarding
school lunches.

1

The role of milk and dairy products inJapanese school lunches[Nakamura]- Homo sapiens was the only
primate to survive throughthe human evolutionary
stages and was an “omnivorous feeder.”- Milk and dairy products inschool lunches made significant contributions toward the improvement of children’s
physical development.

[Nagashima]- Historical context of milk
and dairy products in Japan and their nutritionalsignificance- Value from the nutritional
point of view
- Value from the medical

I will start with a very basic aspect related to thehuman diet. It is believed that there were 27 speciesof primates that had the potential to evolve into humans, but only one species survived, and that washomo sapiens, our ancestor. Homo sapiens was believed to be of a feeble and weak constitution compared to its counterparts. I imagine that this primate
succeeded perhaps because it loved to eat and ate
almost anything. They had the ability to survive nomatter where they happened to be on Earth in any
age. They would have their offspring eat without being fussy about what they ate. This is the essence of
education. Deriving from this core human nature is
the idea that, in principle, we should not restrict what
we eat as long as it is not detrimental to our health.
In pre-war Japan, people ate simple foods typically consisting of rice, miso soups, and pickled
roots and vegetables. This diet was not nutritionallywell-balanced. The national life expectancy in thosedays was much shorter than today owing to deficiencies of various vitamins. In comparison, diets in the
post-war period rapidly grew in variety, with the introduction of many European and Asian ingredientsand dishes. One result was that these nutritionallybalanced meals contributed to a significant improvement in people’s sound physical development. Oneof these, milk and dairy products, played a particularly important role in this post-war dietary transformation. School lunches, in my opinion, played amajor role in the wider distribution of milk and dairyuse. There is much data to show that Japanese havebecome taller, physically stronger, and much healthier since they began to consume milk and dairy products. Today, Japanese have become world competitors in sports, elevated from being only a dream 55
years ago.

point of view- School principals’ perspective- School dietitians’ perspective-
In 1946, the Japanese government announced its national school lunch program
policy, and on the advice of late Professor
Shoji Kondo of Tohoku University, powderedskim milk taken from the international aid
supplies was introduced to school lunches in1947.
Since UNESCO decided to include Japanese
food, washoku, in its Intangible Cultural Heritage
portfolio, debate emerged in the media related tomilk’s role in Japanese food, especially as it related
to school lunches.
With this in mind, we would like to take a fresh
look at the role milk and dairy products play inschool lunches.
After the Pacific War a School Lunch Program
policy was announced in a vice-ministerial decreeby the Ministries of Health and Welfare, Agriculture
and Forestry, and Education in 1946. Shoji Kondo,
then professor emeritus of Tohoku University, recommended milk be included as desirable for children’s sound development. This was duly realized
by serving powdered skim milk along with school
lunches. The milk was sourced from international
aid supplies.
School lunches have evolved since that beginning.
Dr. Nakamura will talk about the role milk anddairy products play in school lunches, and about
their nutritional role.

2

Fig. 1: School lunch program participation rate andphysical development of children(Height in cm)【Boys - 10yo】(Weight in kg) (Height in cm)
55

170.

160.

Proportion ofschools serving
school lunches
Weight99%

Height93%【Girls - 10yo】

50
160.

55
Proportion ofschools serving
school lunches
Weight99%

Height

93%

99.9%

140.

23%
130. 127.9

133.6

136.4

40

35

140.3
137.6 34.4
35
134.1
32.0

140.

34.3
126.1 127.1

30

31.5

23%
130. 127.3

125.7 126.8

120. 26.4 26.0 26.4

25120. 26.0

110.

20

110.

1948

1950

1965

Bone development
during school years
20

40

60

Developing bones Bone mass to Efforts to minimize
as much as possible be kept at its the decline offor a robust skeletal maximum
bone mass levelstructure

30

80

Age

Need caution toprevent falls andbroken bones

29.4

29.2

1935

Post-menopausal
decline of bone mass

69%

40

138.9

Bone
Mass

45
150.

69%

Female

50

45
150.

Lowered ADL(activity of daily living)and QOL (quality of life)scores due toosteoporosis

Male(Weight in kg)

170.

99.9%

Fig. 2: Aging and bone mass
(lumbar vertebra)

1975

2008

Precautions will help in old age; Primary measures are important

25

25.6 26.0

From materials prepared by Assistant Prof. Noriko Tsukahara,
Niigata University of Health and Welfare

20
1935

1948

1950

1965

1975

2008

Annual Report of School Health Statistics, School Lunch Implementation
Survey by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

A comparison of the nutrient intake among school
children on school lunch days and days without reveals that they tend to have enough protein, but lackcalcium, vitamin B1/B2 and iron on the days without school lunches. Calcium intake, in particular,
fluctuates greatly, because the major source of dailyrequired calcium intake for the children is the milk
served with school lunches. This already suggests
the significant role milk and dairy products play inchildren’s diet.

[Nagashima] That was an intriguing account of thefundamental human attitude to dietary culture. Now,
Dr. Tsukahara will talk about the value of milk anddairy products from the perspective of nutritional
science.
[Tsukahara]- Milk and dairy products are
well-balanced nutritional
food items rich in the threeessential nutrients and calcium as well as other minerals and vitamins A andB2.
- Children’s calcium intake is noticeably low
on the day school lunches are not served.

Fig. 3: Calcium intake(comparison of days with and without school lunches)
Recommended
value (1000 mg)

(mg)

1,000

School lunch day
No school lunch day

900
800
700

Recommended
value (750 mg)

710
Recommended
value (650 mg)

807
Recommended
value (700 mg)

Recommended
value (750 mg)

Recommended
value (800 mg)

843

736
659

647

600

542

500
482
400

463

451

Grade 5 boys

Grade 5 girls

449

410

300

Milk contains the three essential nutrients* thatare indispensable for humans to maintain internaland vital functions. It is also rich in calcium andother minerals, as well as vitamins A and B2, which
tend to be deficient in the typical dietary style of theJapanese, so milk makes a very well-balanced supplement.
As seen in the graph related to bone mass, bonedevelopment takes place during the period of physical growth along with height and weight. During thisperiod, it is very important to ensure sufficient intake
of calcium, protein and other minerals and vitamins,
all of which contribute toward increasing bone massand support formation of sound, strong bones.

200
100
0
Grade 3 boys

Grade 3 girls

Grade 8 boys

Grade 8 girls

From Survey on school children's eating habits 2010, by Japan Sports Council[Nagashima] How are milk and dairy products significant from a medical point of view?
[Nakamura]- Milk and dairy products effectively help to reduce the risks of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, and many lifestyle-relateddiseases.
- There is evidence of medically valuable prop-* The three essential nutrients include carbohydrate, fat andprotein, while the five essential nutrients also include dietary
minerals and vitamins.

3

Every household has their own situation and it is difficult to change their ways instantly. I think a school
can give children within its educational framework
the opportunity to think about what is necessary now
in order to be and stay healthy in the future. The
children will then reflect on their own lifestyles, andbecome capable of making changes for themselves.
School lunches provide an opportunity to make themaware that eating is closely linked to their future
health and wellbeing. In this sense, school lunches
are an invaluable learning tool. I strongly believethat school lunches are a valuable cultural heritageand should be a world heritage as well.
School lunches consist of a staple, main course,side dishes, and milk, occasionally accompanied bya desert dish. If you take the milk away, I fear thatchildren and their parents will become less awareof the nutritional values in school lunches. The importance of milk in school lunches is crucial in thissense.

erties in milk such as lowering contributory
factors of chronic illnesses.
There are about 40 kinds of nutrients necessary
for humans, and milk can provide most of them ingood proportions. Some medical research has foundevidence that milk and dairy products are effective
in reducing the risks of some lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, arteriosclerosis,
and osteoporosis. Lifestyle-related disorders are internationally defined as “noncommunicable chronic
diseases.” In recent years, studies have been conducted on the roles of the superb attributes of milk
and dairy products in reducing contributory factorsof these chronic diseases. It can, for example, slow
down blood sugar levels after meals, while casein, atype of protein contained in milk, is decomposed into
peptides that help to prevent hypertension. These are
only a few examples of the many positive attributesof dairy products.

[Nagashima] Ms. Shirai, how do school dietitians
view milk and dairy products?

Data 1: Major nutritional properties of milk
High nutritional concentration- Milk is an excellent basic food group forany generation group[Shirai]

Milk helps to prevent chronic disorders, particularly those
associated with lifestyles- Milk and dairy products
serve a great purpose under strict nutritional conditions in preparing school
meals.
- Children and their parents
take it for granted that
school lunches are served with milk.

(osteoporosis, hypertension, etc.)
From materials prepared by Assistant Prof. Noriko Tsukahara
Niigata University of Health and Welfare[Nagashima] Mr. Osawa, from a school principal’s viewpoint, what are your views?
[Osawa]-To give children the opportunities to think about what
we can do to stay healthy
helps them to improve theirlifestyles.
- School lunches in Japanare a learning tool and partof our cultural heritage, well worth being aworld heritage.
-
Removing milk from school lunches may
dampen children’s awareness of nutrition inmeals.

Considering that children come from diverse
home backgrounds, school lunches must provide
them with a meal that provides sufficient nutritional
value. There are various conditions to be met on topof that, such as the seven aims of the school lunch
program (see Data 4 on page 11), and they must be
prepared within the limited resources of facility,
equipment, utensils, time, and budget. Given this,milk is an invaluable player in school lunches. Children and their parents take it for granted that milk isserved with school lunches. Parents may even thinkthat their home meals only need to supplement thenutrition that is not sufficiently provided at school.

Unfortunately, I have a great concern about children’s eating habits and the food they eat at home.

4[Nagashima] We have heard four very interesting
points of view. Dr. Tsukahara will now summarize
her views on milk in terms of its health implications
and nutritional values.

Data 2: Milk and dairy products help to tone up the
body and maintain good health(1) Protects the body from
pathogen→ Protein (immunoglobulin, lactoferrin)[Tsukahara]→ Essential amino acid (tryptophan)and oligosaccharide

and opioid peptide(2) Normalization of the innergastric environment(5) Anti-hypertensive effect(3) Preserve bone health(6) Regular intake of milk will
help to reduce body fat→ Lactose and oligosaccharide- There is believed to be a third dimension
to the functions of milk and dairy products,
after the attributes hitherto recognized interms of their nutritional values.
- Milk and dairy products are highly nutritional
foods of excellence from a comprehensive
point of view.

(4) Relaxing and sleep-inducing
effects→ Calcium, lactose and casein

phosphopeptide (CPP)→ Whey protein→ As a preventive measure of

the metabolic syndrome

Data quoted from the Japan Dairy Association website[Nakamura]- Milk and dairy products (yogurt in particular)rank among the highest in food index scores.
- We should not exclude ingredients that arehighly recommended around the world.
- We should listen to the opinions of the next
generations.

Milk and dairy products are an excellent source of
calcium. In addition, they bring about various benefits through their protein and its byproducts, peptides
and so on, that manifest a range of desirable effects
inside the body. There are discoveries that suggest
the third dimension to dairy consumption apart fromthe nutritional values. Viewed comprehensively, it
is important to know that milk and dairy products
are nutritionally highly concentrated foods of excellence.

Food experts around the world rate milk and dairy
products very high. In particular, many researchers
are looking at yogurt and its lactic effect on intestinalbacteria.
Given this high acclaim around the world, it would
be inadvisable to remove milk from school lunches. I imagine it would raise more than a few eyebrows among scientists abroad if someone delivereda speech announcing that such a highly nutritional
item would no longer be served with school lunches
in Japan. A central meaning of cultural heritage isthat it is something to be passed on to generations tocome. I entirely agree with the opinion that school
lunches should be recognized as a cultural heritage.
In this way they will stay forever.

[Nakamura]- Milk has a potentially new functional component of nutrients.
- Milk whey helps to lower blood sugar levels.
Functional components of nutrients refers to thefunctions of the five known essential nutrients, butthere are also other functions. Milk is a potential
source of these other functions. A variety of proteinsare found in milk, one of which is whey protein. This
protein is known to have a unique effect of lowering
blood sugar levels in the body.
Normally, food is evaluated in terms of its nutritional content. Some, however, merit reevaluationin terms of their new components. Food also retains
both beneficial and harmful components. In theUSA, there are research groups engaging in the evaluation of food from this point of view.

[Nagashima]

Calcium in school lunches- What is required to meet the high standardof calcium intake through school lunches?
- Some examples of ways to provide calcium
in school lunches.
- Is it possible to consume milk outside school
lunch hours?

[Tsukahara] So, there is evidence that suggests the
positive effects of milk and dairy products aroundthe world.

In 2013, the Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology of Japan issued

5revised school lunch nutritional standards based on
calculations to promote good health and sound development among school children. In this revision,calcium intake through school lunches is set very
high at 50% of the daily recommended amount. Dr.
Tsukahara, what ways are there to meet this high requirement?

day diet, and calcium is not easy to obtain unless actively sought after. For such understanding, we mustfind effective ways to teach our children.
Fig. 4: Calcium intake by food groups
Dairy

LegumeGrain

Seasonings and spices[Tsukahara]

Vegetables

Seafood

Other

SweetsSchool lunch day
30.7- It makes a big difference if we know about
milk and other food items and their nutritional importance, and actively seek to havewell-balanced meals and serve food that isrich in calcium.
- It is important to teach children so that they
understand that ensuring enough calcium
intake and having a balanced diet will help
them develop strong bones that will not
break easily in adulthood, by showing themdata in effective ways.

418.6

70.7

28.0 64.6
24.4

123.3

109

80.3

Most calcium isreceived rom dairy
fproducts(Dairy)None school lunch day
213.8

32.3

(Dairy)

59.1

46.3

40.1

22.6 30.1

(mg)
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Source: Data presented at a conference, Noriko Tsukahara,
Niigata University of Health and Welfare[Nagashima] Do you have any advice on how toensure enough calcium intake in school lunches, andhow to make it easy for children to drink milk duringcold seasons, when many of them tend not to drink
milk? We would also like to hear about some menu
ideas that use milk and dairy products.

It is important that through everyday diet, children
understand the role of dairy products and other itemswith high calcium content, so that they will be able
to make intelligent choices for calcium-rich foodand nutritionally well-balanced diets. The amountof calcium intake makes a big difference and thusis important to good food choices. I conducted asurvey on dietary habits before in tandem with an
epidemiological survey on osteoporosis through regular medical checkups. The average calcium intake
at the baseline was under 600 mg. I spent five to ten
years with these patients, periodically measuring
their bone mass and giving them advice, and throughthe bi-directional communication they graduallychanged their perceptions, which led to changes intheir behavior resulting in enough calcium intake.
As Mr. Osawa mentioned, it is very important forchildren to familiarize themselves with milk drinking as a daily practice, through which they develop
the awareness of the value and benefits of milk anddairy products, and continue drinking milk as a lifelong habit. It is also important to have children understand that sufficient calcium and a well-balanced
diet will help them develop sound skeletal structures, which then help them maintain strong bones inadulthood and old age. They also need to understandthat we are prone to calcium deficiency in our every-[Shirai]- Prepare little games to habituate children tothink about what they eat from a nutritional
point of view.
- Give children an incentive like an empty jar
prize.
- Involve classroom teachers to create an environment and mood that enhance appetite.
- Develop ​menus that ensure required calcium intake using dairy products.
It has been eight years since our school was designated a community school, which aimed to involve
local communities and businesses in the school
management. So far, we have implemented many
projects in collaboration with various local supporters. For example, we brought a mother cow and hercalves to the school for children to experience milking. We also arranged a rice field for the children to
engage in growing rice. These programs are intended for the children to raise awareness of nutrients infood in a natural hands-on-way through the year. At
our school, children do not quit drinking milk evenduring winter. We encourage children to learn about

6

[Nagashima] So there are some practical issues.
What nutritional challenges do children in modern
society face today?

diet by using an empty jar prize and other incentives.
We also tell classroom teachers about the importance of lunch hours and ask for their participation inan effort to create an environment that enhances thechildren’s experience. The ambiance in the room candrive children to eat even for foods that they are notkeen on eating or drinking, like milk, legumes, andsome vegetables. So, we ask the teachers to make theeating experience as enjoyable as possible.
As for menus using dairy products, children today
tend to like dishes with cheese toppings. Saying this,food preferences change over time. We keep our eye
on trends and situations, and adjust our menus accordingly, for example, by adding yogurt as a desert,
to ensure sufficient calcium intake.

[Nakamura]

Nutritional challenges for today’schildren- Dietary disorders that place double burden(malnutrition and overnutrition) simultaneously, becoming a complex social, as well as
individual, issue.
- Individually-tailored tutoring on nutrition isnecessary to foster the ability to make appropriate self-judgment.
Today, the problem of double burden malnutrition (DBM)* is debated globally. At the global level, some populations in developing countries undernourished and populations in developed countries
are overnourished. Most people in affluent countries
tend to be overnourished but there are those who
cannot afford rich food and suffer from undernutrition. In the past, problems related to nutrition wererelated to mostly undernutrition. Today, however,many people eat well, and it has given rise to problems of overnutrition together with undernutrition.
This situation is not limited to national boundaries.
In developed countries, for instance, there are obese
children alongside anorexic malnourished children.
Many young girls experiment with extreme diets.
There is also a rise in low birth weight babies. Conversely, countries such as China and Vietnam are
now faced with a sharp increase in the number ofobese children in the shadow of these countries’ rapid economic growth. The situation in Japan is also
complex. Middle aged people used to be encouraged
to eat moderately to prevent metabolism-relateddisorders, but now expert opinion is reversed, andthey are encouraged to eat more in order to prevent
weakening and undernutrition, as a precautionary
measure to reduce the rising need for nursing care.
In order to resolve this situation, it is necessary
to provide individually tailored nutrition tutorials to
educate the nation so that everyone can exercise hisor her own judgment on appropriate nourishment.
In this context, nutritional education and Shokuiku(education on food and dietary practices) are vital inchildren’s healthy development.

Photo 1: Foods life-giving force(Source: Kodaira 6th Elementary School, Kodaira)[Nagashima] Some have suggested that milk could
be served outside of school lunch hours, like during
a short break about an hour before lunch time or after the last lesson. How feasible would this be fromthe viewpoint of school administrators? I heard that
there was a school that put this to the test.
[Osawa]- Serving milk outside school lunch hours is
not very practical considering the time andeffort required in preparation.
It would be difficult to implement. Class hours
may not be the same across the different grades.
Also, a 15-minute break is not long enough to serve
the milk, have the time to drink it, then collect, clean,and prepare the cartons for recycling.

*DBM=Double Burden Malnutrition

7

[Nagashima] This is precisely the purpose ofschool lunches.
In addition, children today enjoy far less exercise
and spend more time playing indoors, notably withcomputer games. These factors are key contributors
in the increasing number of lifestyle-related diseases
in children along with insufficient bone mass. These
are serious issues today.

in culinary culture through school lunches. Whatapproach is desirable, and what should we keep inmind in providing such information? To start with,are the two approaches really incompatible; serving
milk in school lunches, on the one hand, and promoting washoku on the other? What is your view,
Dr. Nakamura?

Advice on providing tutorials about
Japanese culinary culture throughschool lunches[Nakamura]- There is no inconsistency between serving
milk at school lunch and promoting deeper understanding of culinary culture; school
lunches with milk and promotion of washoku are not incompatible.
- There are emerging initiatives to evaluate
the health implications of washoku.
- T he inscription in the Intangible Cultural Heritage signifies the world’s appreciation of
the mental aspects in the washoku experience as a whole.
- Washoku is recognized for its ability to incorporate the awareness of seasonal changes
while maintaining environmental integrity,
as opposed to antagonism against nature.
- Washoku is a wonderful culture that allows
us to respect nature, and bring it into our everyday practice through eating. We must ensure that it will be passed on to our children.

- It is important to provide a correct view andunderstanding of washoku as a culture thatis now internationally recognized and appreciated as a worldwide intangible cultural heritage.
- There is as yet no officially accepted definition of washoku.
- Are milk and dairy products incompatible
with washoku?
- How do schools evaluate school lunches?
- Educational purpose of school lunches.
- Desirable guidance to be given throughschool lunches.
- Washoku as appreciated in the world is notjust about food consumption, it is a comprehensive package of food appreciation encompassing sensitivity to seasonal changes,
preparation methods that enhance the flavors of raw materials in season, and otherpreparatory techniques. Gratitude and hospitality underlies the washoku experience.

There is no contradiction between having milkwith school lunches and learning about Japan’s traditional culinary culture through the acquisition ofhealthy dietary habits. It is through the beauty of
washoku that a wide variety of foods may be incorporated in any combination to accompany the stapleof rice. For this reason, I think there is no incompatibility between serving milk with school lunches andpromoting washoku.
There is no official definition of washoku or Japanese-style food as yet, including dishes like ramen
and curry rice, at the time of the inclusion in the cultural heritage list. Currently there is a national initiative based at Kyoto University to research the health
implications of washoku.

[Nagashima] The word washoku seems to be usedfreely among those who believe that milk does notgo with washoku, or that school lunches should all
be washoku. I feel the urgent need to provide children with a view of what washoku stands for.
Washoku, as understood in the world, is not justthe name of a type of food for consumption, but
includes food appreciation, sensitivity to seasonalchanges, and ways of preparation to enhance flavorsof raw materials in season, and other preparatory
techniques. Gratitude and hospitality underlies thewashoku experience. So, it misses the point to argue
that milk does not go with rice or other traditional
Japanese dishes. Given this as the starting point, we
would like to hear views on how to educate children

8

[Shirai]

Data 3: Washoku and food culture of Japan,
UNESCO’s summary- There have been no complaints that milk
does not suit rice-based meals from parents.
- Parents’ want to provide what their children
need even at a cost. They are content withschool lunches and they each have the opportunity to eat one on open-house days.

1. Washoku is a social practice based on a set of skills,
knowledge, practice, and traditions related to production,
processing, preparation, and consumption of food.
2. It is associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources.
3. The basic knowledge and the social and cultural characteristics associated with washoku are typically seen
during New Year’s celebrations.
4. Many Japanese make various preparations to welcome
the incoming year, pounding rice cakes and preparing
special meals and beautifully decorated dishes using
fresh ingredients, each of which has a symbolic meaning.
These dishes are served on special tableware and sharedby family members or collectively among communities.
The practice favors the consumption of various natural,
locally sourced ingredients such as rice, fish, vegetables,and edible wild plants.

I have never been aware of any complaints since
I became involved in school lunches. At the Kodaira
6th Elementary School, we serve locally-produced
pasteurized milk, which is costly. We had to appeal
to parents for their consent to raise school lunch fees,
and there were no reservations. I take that as a signthat parents wish to provide for their children thethings that they really need in their school lunches.
If there is no established definition of washoku, I
wonder what is the argument about certain things notgoing with steamed rice. Children must be allowed
to experience various things. Here, adults should not
impose limitations for the sake of their own values.
In fact, no opinion has been expressed either by thechildren or their parents that milk does not suit ricebased dishes. At our school, we welcome children’s
parents and guardians, including fathers and grandparents, who usually do not have a chance to cometo the school, on the Sunday open-house day. Theyeat our school lunches, and they all seem happy withwhat is served.

5. The basic knowledge and skills
related to washoku, such as theproper seasoning of home cooking, are passed down in the home
at shared mealtimes. Grassrootsgroups, school teachers, andcooking instructors also play arole in transmitting the knowledge and skills by means offormal and non-formal educationor through practice.
UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee

However, the point is that washoku has been registered as an intangible cultural heritage. That is, theworld recognizes the intangible cognitive benefit ofwashoku, rather than for its health benefits. What therecognition really refers to is the culinary cultural
practice that does not antagonize nature. Japan issuch a country where mountains edge close to seashores, richly expressive of seasonal transitions, andwhere the nation appreciates such things as moongazing with a modest decoration of pampas grass ona table. Here, nature is an integral part of people’s
lives rather than an object to be conquered. The same
applies to the culinary culture which embraces nature. I think the world finds the value of washoku
in this aspect, which could contribute to furthering
prosperity of humanity. This is why I think it imperative that washoku and its cultural aspects, which
now earn high acclaim in the world, are passed on to
our children. To reiterate, it is the nature of washokuthat respects and integrates, and never contradicts
nature that its value lies.

Photo 2: Menu consisting of steamed rice, grilledsalmon fillet, miso soup, boiled spinach and radish,milk and a mandarin orange(Source: Kodaira 6th Elementary School, Kodaira)[Nagashima] I agree.
According to Ms. Shirai, children seem to enjoy
milk without worrying about whether it goes withrice or not. Have there been complaints in this regard
by parents?

[Nagashima] Has anyone complained that milk is
not suitable for school lunch menus?

9

[Shirai][Nakamura]- They feel comfortable with the idea that
school lunches are served with milk. No
complaint was heard.
- The importance of calcium is always conveyed to them.

- School lunches provide an excellent philosophy of equality by sharing meals with classmates.
- This philosophy became a great contributor
in resolving the prevalence of malnutrition inabout 10 years in post-war Japan.
- The number of diabetes patients is in decline
today, and Japan may be the first in the world
to resolve the problem of overnutrition.
- The influence of education based on school
lunches is remarkable.

I do not hear any complaints in this regard, as parents feel comfortable with the idea that school lunches are served with milk. The school dietitians aroundme, too, face no such complaints.
We teach children about the importance of taking necessary nutrients not only during school lunch
hours, but also in physical education, science, andhome economics classes. We convey the message toparents, too, emphasizing the importance of calcium.

I believe that children acquire the Japanese valueof dietary experience in classrooms when they sharemeals with their classmates. In Europe and America,
doctors, directors, CEOs and other executive-classpeople have their own rooms to have their special
meals in that are different from meals provided for
hospital workers or corporate employees. In Japan,
presidents, professors, assistants, CEOs and employees alike, everyone eats the same meal in the sameroom. There is a Japanese sense of equality expressedin a phrase “to share one pot of rice,” and I think thisis a wonderful philosophy that derives from school
lunches. Starvation never disappears from the world
as people exploit others, despite international aid delivered to poor countries. Whereas in Japan, people
shared among themselves, and did not exploit, evenin the post-war struggle, thanks to the school lunch
program. School lunches helped solve undernutrition among children in a short period of time.
Recent data suggest that obesity is in decline inJapan. There is no other example in the world thatobesity is under control, and yet Japan is also seeing a decline in the morbidity rate of diabetes. The
world suffered from a serious problem of starvation
during the first and second world wars, but Japan
managed to move the nation out of the state of undernutrition in the post-war period in about 10 years.
Today, there is encouraging signs that Japan may be
the first in the world to resolve the modern problemof overnutrition. The data provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare last year showsthat the incidence of diabetes is also beginning to
decline. I take this as a result largely owing to theeducation given through school lunches. When I told
this to some non-Japanese people, their responses[Nagashima] I ask Mr. Osawa, whether school
lunches are included in the items for school evaluation.
[Osawa]- School lunches are regarded as a part of theeducational curricula, as having opportunities to give advice. School lunches are considered in school evaluations.
-
If a three-minute guidance at lunch time
is given structurally every day throughout
the year (a total of 12 hours), children willchange their behavior.
School lunches are implemented as part of school
curricula. This provides another opportunity for
guidance besides regular classes. Where guidance isgiven, there will be evaluation. So, school evaluations take it into account. If three minutes are dedicated to guidance at lunch time every day, it would
amount to 12 hours a year. Children will definitely grow through the school lunch hours given thatstructural guidance is provided daily by the school.
[Nagashima] I see that the continued efforts in education and responses are important. I now ask Dr.
Nakamura, how do school lunches serve educational
purposes?

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were positive, that Japan should disseminate to theworld such a social system and educational programthat bring about longevity. I believe this is Japan’s
important responsibility in the future.

soning for menus each and every day, the lunch will
merely be food for consumption. So, I strongly desire that educators have the confidence and sense of
responsibility in providing school meals and guiding
children through this means. Children will then growsoundly and develop surprisingly well.
[Nagashima]

In conclusion: we need to maintaina broad perspective to consider how
school lunches contribute toward thefuture of our children.
- Milk and dairy products are indispensable
for children’s growth.
- School lunches must be an educational medium to teach about Japanese-style food,washoku, and general culinary culture.
- The School Lunch Program Act must always
be respected, as it aims to maintain andenhance the health and wellbeing of school
children through appropriate nutrition intake, taking into account the developmental
stages of growing children.

Photo 3: Enjoying lunch together(Source: Kodaira 6th Elementary School, Kodaira)[Nagashima] Splendid. There are many points thatare also encouraging to people who engage in providing school lunches.
Mr. Osawa will share with us his expectations ofschool lunches and the way they nurture children andas well as educating them so that they will become
capable of making appropriate dietary decisions asadults who embody hope in the future for Japan.

Data 4: Article 2 of School Lunch Program Act(Aim of School Lunch Program)[Osawa]1. To maintain and enhance health and wellbeing of school
children through appropriate nutrition intake.
2. To provide school children with opportunities to learn appropriate diets in the everyday context, develop the ability to make sound judgment about healthy diet, and adopt
desirable dietary habits.
3. To enrich school life and foster sociability and cooperative spirits in children.
4. To facilitate the understanding of a dietary practice as
being based on the natural providence, thereby fostering
the respect for life and nature as well as a positive attitude towards environmental conservation.
5. To facilitate the understanding that a dietary practice issupported by a diversity of people who engage in foodproduction and preparation, thereby fostering the sense
to appreciate hard and diligent labor.
6. To facilitate deep understanding of varied culinary cultures of excellence throughout Japan and in various regions.
7. To guide school children to gain appropriate understanding about production, distribution and consumption offood.

- Provide school lunches with confidence andin a responsible manner appropriate to educators who are responsible for the children
and their future, and the children will respond with remarkable growth and attitudinal changes.
I often relate to my fundamental belief that teachers are responsible for the future that awaits the children they teach. Looking after the educational duties
of children for one year is in itself a serious responsibility. In the last eight years as a school principal I
always encouraged teachers to take great pride andjoy in being involved in the growing process of eachpupil during the year, which is an invaluable time forthe children.
Menus may be diverse, consisting of a staple, maincourse, side dishes and milk. The staple may also beeither steamed rice, noodles or bread, depending on
the day. I would like, however, for school dietitians
to always be prepared with an underlying rationale
for menus on any particular day. Without clear rea-

It is important to adhere to the basic principles ofschool lunches in practice. Thank you for your input.
We have had many valuable opinions and established that milk and dairy products are an indispensable item for children in their developmental stages.
School lunches play a vital role in realizing national longevity in a true sense, by fostering children
to maximize the bone mass during their physical de-11velopment period, which prepares them in adulthood
to resist osteoporosis. Meanwhile, we have reviewedthat school lunches also serve as an important educational opportunity for children to learn and comprehend Japanese traditional diet and culinary culture.
While there are debates about washoku as world
heritage, Japanese-style food and culinary culture, it
is important to convey correct understanding of thecultures through school lunches as an educational
tool, so that such debate will not result in skewing
their perception. We must clearly recognize the important function performed by school lunches.

Ms. Hideko Shirai

Dr. Noriko Tsukahara

The most important point of all is that school
lunches aim to maintain and enhance health andwellbeing of school children undergoing physicaldevelopment through appropriate nutrition intake,as provided in the School Lunch Program Act. In
conclusion, we need to maintain a broad perspective
to consider how school lunches contribute toward
the children’s future, and elucidate the role of milk
and dairy products in school lunches, which was themain theme of today’s discussion. Thank you all foryour participation.

Dr. Teiji Nakamura

Ms. Mihoko Nagashima

Mr. Masanori Osawa[Editor’s Postscript]
The discussion encompasses some important points: The educational function of school lunches,re-acknowledgment of wonderful Japanese culture of washoku that is an integral part of Nature, and theirreplaceable value of milk and dairy products as an indispensable nutritional source for children’s soundgrowth for their bright future.
Spreading Japanese washoku and the art of Japanese lunches worldwide, we may be able to facilitatesound growth and development of all children across the world, who will be making the world in the future. We have high hopes that the realization of Japanese Shokuiku will be a high-level international exercise for the good health and wellbeing of children, by actively introducing many superb culinary culturesof the world into Japan.
The English edition or the Japanese edition of this volume is available for distribution (with a supplemental pamphlet on Japanese school lunches). Please inquire at the Association Secretariat by FAX or
E-mail, with your name, telephone number, E-mail address, and the number of copies required as well as
the postal address to which the copies should be sent.
Japan Association for Improving School Lunch
Yotsuya 3-12, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0004 Japan
TEL +81-3-3357-6755 FAX +81-3-3357-6756

E-mail kaizen@gakkyu.or.jp

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