US focuses on 'food justice' while Japan expands mobile markets to help elderly amid Korea's food deserts
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Local governments and major companies in the US and Japan are building systems to support residents living in "food deserts"—areas with poor access to fresh food—offering models Korea can learn from. In the US, policymakers frame access to fresh food as "food justice," linking it to poverty and racial disparities. Some states give incentives (subsidies, low-interest loans) to grocery operators who open stores in underserved areas, and cities like Boston have created an Office of Food Justice. Tech solutions such as the Tangelo app provide vetted low-income residents with points for home delivery of fresh produce and healthy meals. Japan, facing rapid population aging, has expanded mobile grocery stores (e.g., Ito-Yokado’s "Tokushimaru") through public–private cooperation. These mobile marts sell diverse items including sashimi (raw fish) and sushi as well as clothing, aiming not only to supply essentials but to give seniors the pleasure of shopping; they also sign "watch-over agreements" with municipalities to protect and assist elderly customers. The article notes programs in the UK and Australia that further illustrate varied national approaches, and suggests Korea needs stronger legislation and multisector cooperation to prevent expansion of food deserts. (food desert: areas lacking access to affordable fresh food; sashimi: raw fish)
