Hello everyone,
My name is Chisato Tateno, 2025 Miss SAKE Japan.
On Monday, December 15, I paid a courtesy visit to the Emerging Markets Group, Export and International Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. This visit was conducted jointly with Kenshi Ueyama, 2024 Mr SAKE Japan, and Tomomi Duquette, 2024 Mrs SAKE Japan, under the leadership of Mika Onishi, Representative Director of the Miss SAKE Association.
About the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is committed to ensuring a stable supply of food that supports the lives of the nation’s people, as well as to building a social environment in which individuals can live with peace of mind. To fulfill this mission, the Ministry works broadly to promote agriculture, forestry, and fisheries throughout Japan. In addition to supporting the production of agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits, the Ministry places strong emphasis on the maintenance and conservation of healthy forests, and promotes sustainable development in the fisheries sector through the proper management of marine resources and the advancement of fisheries.
Moreover, MAFF’s policies are closely linked to Japan’s traditional sake culture through rice cultivation. By supporting the stable production and quality improvement of rice—the essential ingredient in sake brewing—the Ministry helps create an environment in which sake breweries across Japan can continue crafting sake that reflects the unique characteristics of their respective regions. These initiatives serve as two interdependent pillars of “food” and “culture,” playing a vital role in revitalizing local communities and passing Japan’s traditions on to future generations. The Miss SAKE Association is deeply grateful for the continued annual patronage and generous support provided by MAFF in promoting sake culture.
As the Ambassador of Japanese Sake Culture
During this visit, we had the honor of being joined by Mr. Yuichi Moronaga, Group Director and Counsellor of the Emerging Markets Group; Mr. Mitsuhiro Inamura, International Coordination Officer; and International Specialists Mr. Mamoru Hatano and Ms. Nozomi Ono. We took this opportunity to introduce our activities, emphasizing that our efforts extend beyond Miss SAKE alone to include Mr SAKE, Mrs SAKE, and the newly launched Miss AMAZAKE initiative—together promoting SAKE culture across generations.
The Miss SAKE Association continues to receive ongoing support from MAFF. In July 2025, Chinami Terasaki, Runner-up of the 2024 Miss SAKE, participated in the 26th Festival do Japão and the 2nd Furusato “Iimono” Expo in São Paulo, Brazil, where she had the valuable opportunity to serve as a seminar speaker at the MAFF booth.
[https://www.misssake.org/festival-do-japao-misssake2025/]
[https://www.misssake.org/saopaulo-japan-expo2025-misssake/]
This visit also provided a valuable opportunity to share the individual initiatives of each member. Kenshi Ueyama, 2024 Mr SAKE Japan, spoke about his efforts to promote sake through media platforms such as Sake World, as well as his blending experiences at Assemblage Club. Tomomi Duquette, 2024 Mrs SAKE Japan, introduced her work in establishing the sake brewery Yuki to Satoyama Brewery and her involvement with the Niigata Sake Brewery Tourism Promotion Council. Through sharing each member’s passion and dedication to sake, we reaffirmed our collective commitment to bringing sake to audiences around the world. We were also encouraged by suggestions regarding potential future activities in regions that Miss SAKE has not yet visited, inspiring great anticipation for what lies ahead.
Through this courtesy visit to MAFF, I once again gained a deep understanding of how sake is a culture deeply rooted in agriculture, supported by a wide range of initiatives that span from production sites to export and international outreach. I was reminded that to speak about sake is to speak about Japan’s rice cultivation, its rich natural environment, and the broader landscape of Japanese food culture.
As Miss SAKE, I strongly feel the importance of carrying forward our sincere gratitude to MAFF and all those who continuously support and collaborate with us. Using sake as a gateway, I hope to further convey Japan’s agriculture, food culture, and the values and stories behind them to audiences both in Japan and abroad. Through our activities around the world, I will continue to work with integrity, striving to serve as a bridge through which sake and Japanese culture are naturally embraced and cherished.
We sincerely appreciate your continued warm support of Miss SAKE and look forward to your ongoing encouragement.
Thank you very much.
Chisato Tateno
2025 Miss SAKE Japan
