三级aa视频在线观看-三级国产-三级国产精品一区二区-三级国产三级在线-三级国产在线

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Japanese hold 'funeral' for chickens
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-29 09:01

Dressed in a black suit and tie, a man asked the roomful of mourners to bow their heads. For a minute, they stood and faced the brightly lit altar in silence.

Yoshiyuki Kamei, Japanese minister of Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry, speaks before an altar, made of white eggs in plastic cartons, for the chickens slaughtered during the recent bird flu outbreak in Japan at a memorial ceremony in Tokyo April 28, 2004. [AP]
On a stage, piled in a pyramid and surrounded by white daisies and lilies sat the dead: dozens of eggs in clear plastic cartons.

Arranged by the Agriculture Ministry and the poultry industry, Wednesday's solemn ceremony at a Tokyo hotel honored hundreds of thousands of chickens slaughtered since a deadly bird flu was discovered here in January.

"We want to express our regret to chickens for having to kill them, while also giving thanks to them for providing us with food," said Hideyuki Shimada, a director at the Japan Poultry Association. "I don't know how chickens feel about it, but humans should show appreciation."

The ceremony was nonreligious, though it featured an altar and flowers commonly found at religious funeral rites in Japan. Mostly, it demonstrated a quirky side to the Japanese fondness for rituals and marked what poultry producers hope will be a steady recovery in chicken and egg sales.

Since emerging late last year, avian influenza has ravaged flocks across Asia and killed at least 24 people in Viet Nam and Thailand. To stem the disease, authorities destroyed about 100 million chickens, ducks and other birds and temporarily quarantined farmers. No new infections have been reported for weeks.

Chiefs of the poultry industry observe a moment of silence for the souls of the chickens slaughtered during the recent bird flu outbreak in Japan at a memorial ceremony in Tokyo April 28, 2004. [AP]
Japan's outbreak was its first since 1925. After several poultry farms in western and southern Japan reported cases, the Agriculture Ministry ordered all farms in the area not to move their eggs and chickens and to monitor their flocks. Some 300,000 birds were destroyed.

While no humans fell ill in Japan, the bird flu outbreak — and the recall of thousands of eggs from supermarkets — spooked consumers and depressed chicken prices and sales. Schools banned poultry in lunches, despite assurances that it was safe to eat properly cooked meat and eggs of infected chickens. This month, the government pronounced Japan free of bird flu.

Wednesday's ceremony is an annual event for poultry farmers. Its origins are tied to a Buddhist funeral rite, known as "kuyou" in Japanese, that honors objects and animals. Rites for dolls, needles, shoes, cooking knives and, nowadays, even computers and pachinko "pinball" machines recognize the importance of the items in people's lives.

"The pile of eggs is our industry's altar," said Ikuo Sugita, head of the Oita Prefecture Poultry Association, located in one of three prefectures hit by the avian flu. "There were so many chickens that had to be sacrificed because of the bird flu. So a memorial service is extremely important."

There was nothing deliberately humorous about the chicken funeral services.

Over 200 officials and poultry producers observed a minute of silence and then bowed to the stack of eggs. They clapped politely when the agriculture minister promised tougher penalties for covering up infected flocks. They applauded officials who acted swiftly to contain bird flu. And most stayed for a panel discussion on winning back consumers.

And the event was promotional: poultry officials were passing out 6,000 eggs outside the hotel — even the ones from the altar.

 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Wen's top challenge is development deckhead

 

   
 

Beijing confirms 2 SARS patients

 

   
 

Consumers angry over bank card tricks

 

   
 

Holiday to see 90m travellers

 

   
 

Korean nuclear issue centre of discussions

 

   
 

Leaders held responsible for accidents

 

   
  US report: Terrorism at 35-year low
   
  Google IPO sets stage for Web search war
   
  Bush, Cheney take 9/11 questions for 3+ hours
   
  10 US soldiers killed in spate of attacks
   
  Washington's World War II memorial opens to public
   
  Ex-nurse pleads guilty in patient deaths
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Testimony: Japanese war chemicals did harm
   
Japan's Crown Princess Masako in seclusion
   
China condemns attack on consulate
   
Japanese vehicle rams Chinese consulate
  News Talk  
  Will the new national flag fly?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲一区二区三区免费在线观看 | 欧美日韩亚洲人人夜夜澡 | 久久综合九色综合97婷婷女人 | 亚洲高清免费观看 | 国产 日韩 欧美 亚洲 | ppypp日本欧美一区二区 | 在线观看免费精品国产 | 亚洲视频在线观看网址 | 三及毛片 | 久久国产精品成人免费 | 久久夜色精品国产亚洲 | 成人免费淫片95视频观看网站 | 正在播放avove深夜影院 | 成人在线视频一区 | 欧美一级黄视频 | 欧美精品一区二区精品久久 | 久久毛片免费 | 免费看片免费播放 | 日本一级在线 | 日韩精品亚洲人成在线播放 | 国产肥老妇免费视频 | 超级乱淫片67194免费看 | 亚洲一区二区在线免费观看 | 日韩天天摸天天澡天天爽视频 | 欧美黄色一级毛片 | 毛片大全| 国产美女网 | 无遮挡一级毛片私人影院 | 日韩黄色大片 | 娇喘呻吟福利视频在线观看 | 国产久草视频在线 | 韩国一级毛片在线高清免费 | 欧美精品在线免费观看 | 国产精品福利片免费看 | 小明台湾成人永久免费看看 | 黄色影院在线观看 | 免费大片在线观看 | 99草视频| 伊人色在线观看 | 国产美女在线看 | 亚洲综合国产一区在线 |