is your sushi pure?

The Japanese Agriculture Minister and others are worried that food being marketed as "Japanese" in foreign countries ain't up to snuff, and they are trying to launch a government seal of approval for restaurants that rise to the standard of "pure Japanese."

Admittedly, there is a lot of limp sushi, soggy sashimi, and tepid tempura being sold in restaurants but this hardly calls out for government action. And how do you define "Japanese food," anyway -- one Japanese food expert points out that the tasty breaded pork called tonkatsu in Tokyo is called porc paner in Paris.

In any case, a country that has committed culinary atrocities against foreign foods such as putting corn and squid on pizzas, and mayonaise on just about anything is hardly in a position to complain about inadequately artful yakitori, or menus that dare to include sushi on the same page as Korean barbecue.