Japan Prepares for 2020 Olympics By Making Restaurant Menus More Vegan-Friendly

This month, Japanese lawmakers will begin to discuss proposals on food guidelines for vegetarian and vegan food served in restaurants to meet the growing demand for plant-based options. The surge in tourism in the country has brought an increase of visitors who do not eat animal products. The food guideline proposals will aim to help restaurants increase their meatless menu options, and will include studying certification marks to identify which items are vegetarian and vegan, and offering subsidies for vegetarian restaurants and those that introduce meat-free menus. Guidelines are expected to be implemented before the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer, when Japan expects an influx of visitors to the country.