NHK




 

Restaurants in Japan are increasing their offerings of dishes made only with plant-based ingredients. That's as more consumers express concern about their health and the environment.

Noodle-soup chain Ippudo started selling bowls of ramen without any animal-derived ingredients from early July at one of its restaurants in Tokyo.

Ippudo is known for dishes made from pork bones. The company uses soy milk, plant oil and vegetables to recreate its signature taste.

Meanwhile, family-restaurant chain Royal Host started offering a Thai-style rice dish topped with soy meat this month. It's on the menu at most of its outlets in Japan.

Private-sector research firm TPC Marketing Research says the domestic market for plant-based alternative foods will likely top half a billion dollars in fiscal 2025. That would be up nearly three times in yen terms over five years.