Before the game between the Yomiuri Giants and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks , MOA Deputy Minister Jong-I Hu presented the Giants with Taiwan's finest pineapples and mangoes, each bearing a TAP traceability mark in Japanese. This move symbolized deepening agricultural exchanges between Taiwan and Japan while boosting the image and visibility of Taiwanese fruits in the Japanese market.
The Yomiuri Giants, celebrating their 90th anniversary this year, are a powerhouse club in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Their interleague matchup against the Hawks, a member of the Pacific League, attracted over 10,000 fans to the iconic Tokyo Dome. Throughout the game, the "Taiwan Fruit Brand Day" was prominently featured on the stadium's billboards and television broadcasts. The first 10,000 fans received commemorative fruit-themed fans, while a dedicated "Taiwan Fruit Showcase Zone" at the ticket gate greeted attendees with sumptuous samples of Taiwan's freshest, sweetest pineapples and mangoes. Deputy Minister Hu and the game's host, Mr. Takahashi, were on hand to explain how to select the perfect Taiwanese pineapple. They were joined by cheerleaders from Taiwan's own Fubon Guardians and Rakuten Monkeys baseball teams, who demonstrated pineapple-picking techniques to inspire Japanese fans to choose the uniquely fragrant, tender Taiwanese variety on their next shopping trip.
"Japanese and Taiwanese people share a deep passion for baseball," the MOA explained. "We're grateful to Taiwan's professional baseball league, CPBL, for connecting us with the Yomiuri Giants to make this three-way collaboration possible." As Taiwan's pineapples and mangoes were in peak season, the Ministry gifted the Giants with 40 boxes of premium pineapples (10kg each) and 20 boxes of luscious mangoes (5kg each). These aromatic, tender fruits—rich in vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients—aimed to energize the players and power their performance whetting consumer appetites for Taiwan's diverse, high-quality fruit crops.
Beyond the ballpark, another major promotional push for Taiwanese pineapples launched that morning at the Tamadairanomori branch of SAEKI Supermarket. There, Deputy Minister Hu directly engaged shoppers, highlighting the unparalleled taste, fragrance, texture, and freshness that distinguish Taiwan's fruits from other nations’ produce. The aim was to boost brand recognition and demand among Japanese consumers.
The MOA's Japan tour also included meetings with major players in the fruit and vegetable sector like supplier Dole, logistics firm Farmind, and retailer Tokyo Saeki. These discussions explored strategies for elevating the brand image of Taiwanese fruits, pursuing potential market segmentation opportunities, and yielded insightful feedback for domestic producers on maintaining a competitive edge for Taiwan's agricultural products in this export market.
Officials at the Ministry emphasized their longstanding commitment to building an export supply system founded on"stable supply" and "quality assurance" for Taiwan's agricultural products. Since 2022, initiatives have been underway to guide exporters, farmers' groups, and farmers to obtain the TAP marks in Japanese, Korean and English versions. This approach expands the TAP program's promises of safety and premium quality standards to international markets, allowing customers worldwide to enjoy Taiwan's finest farm-fresh produce with full confidence.
