Bob, Reno - I care! The premise of your post is that you *like* it all. What if you turn up somewhere and you *don't* like it. I'm fed up being fed rubbish sushi, in various establishments from conveyor-belt dried up muck to supposedly authentic sushi served by an army of Japanese-speaking Londoners. I've found good sushi is hard to find, especially here in London. If the presence of this seal increases the probability of finding a good sushi place, where I really will like it, then so much the better.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

with so much confusion as to the exact definition of sushi and other japanese foods it seems that a group of people promoting the authenticiy is necessary

HS, devizes, uk,

In Japan, suchi is adulterated with vitamin e capsules substituted for salmon roe. Did you think salmon lay their eggs with a rim around them? Occidentals will care little about the difference in rice. When Japanese can buy US rice at 75 percent less, they do.

Some Japanese dishes won't go over well, such as the live fish in sake or the well fermented bean paste.

Ben , alexandria, USA, VA

The seal isn't making it illegal to have a non-authentic restaurant, it's just pointing you in the direction of what is authentic. It would hopefully help break ignorant stereotypes. You can make your choice of what you like thereafter. I'd welcome a committee to give seals of authenticity or support from the home country for all cuisines, much like the British and Thai do to a degree.

I'm Japanese and I hate going to "authentic" Japanese restaurants that don't know what shichimi togarashi or gyudon are, or pass off mandoo as gyoza, since the cook just goes off poorly contrived recipes, having 0 qualifications or real knowledge of the cuisine.

Many still have the perception that Japanese food consists only of stir fry or sushi, or can't distinguish between sushi and raw fish. Sushi isn't made of raw fish only, and Japanese food is never stir fried except for a few imported dishes incorporated into the cuisine. Ugh!

Cassaendra, Cleveland, OH

OOO from Belfast,

Apaprently you are not acquainted with how to properly deep fat fry foods.

Correctly done, it is not high fat. The temperature must be kept at 350F to 375F, and the fish or chicken when removed, are placed on paper to absorb any extraneous grease.

In fact, when frying chicken correctly, there is more grease after you fry than before (due to the small amount of fat under the skin in chicken).

Keping the grease at 350F to 375F is what keeps the grease thin enough that it doesn't get absorbed by the food.

Americans are fat because they consume too many carbs, not fat, and don't get a reasonable amount of physical exercise.

JD, Waleska, GA USA

Sounds like sushi needs policeing - a riot is about to break out over just the name!

f, London,

Please. Sushi doesn't wriggle. Sigh

Mona, London, UK

"a true sushi master will insist on Japanese koshihikari rice". Koshihikari is a recent development; it has been around for only 50 years. The Japanese enjoyed sushi for a long time before that - or were the present generation's ancestors not eating 'proper' sushi? Do you hear the English government complaining about the fish and chips they serve in 'English pubs' here in Japan?

Still, it is good to know that my exorbitant local tax is being wisely spent - on fingerprinting machines for foreigners, ships which kill mammals in order to research them (???), and Ministry of Agriculture bureaucrats so they can fly around the world imposing standards of authenticity which are not applied in their own country. Bless the Japanese government.

Michael, Chiba, Japan

Another stupid Japanese marketing idea. Its about the quality of the ingredients, not where they come from. Instead, they should check out the chefs, many of whom are not Japanese and know little if anything about making great sushi rice or cutting and serving the raw fish. Of course, the Japanese Ministry of Trade isn't interested in that.

Denny, Denver, CO

There are reasons the US is far and above [sic] the fattest nation the world has ever seen. One of those many many reasons is that you cook your fish (and chicken and much more) by deep fat frying. Buy a grill, lose some lard.

OOO, Belfast,

Police it all you want....Sushi is still going to be loaded with mercury and parasites.

MFM, Chicago, USA

Hi
My name is Engel Dirkzwager and i was searching for a artical on the internet. But then I saw this articel and i was really offended because you guys just don't know how to spell Amsterdam.
In the name of our queen i insist that you will change it to the proper way.
Thank you for your attention.

Engel Dirkzwager, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

It's a ploy to make sure that these restaurants are buying Japanese exports.

Bill, omaha, ne

American Sushi:
- Take any sushi.
- Remove rice, seaweed, and everything else but
the raw fish..
- Put remaining fish on hook.
- Put hook in water.
- Deep fry the fish you catch along with
some hush puppies and and french fries.
- Consume with ketchup.

There are reasons the US is far and above the greatest nation the world has ever seen. One of those many reasons is that we cook our fish.

JD, Waleska, GA USA

Kuchu:
I never said it wasn't what distinguishes sushi from simply sashimi. But I don't care how wonderful the rice is, it isn't what makes or breaks sushi. I will allow you that It's the rice AND what's on top (fish, egg, whatever), i.e. the combination. However, I have never met a Japanese person (including my wife) in the US or Japan who after having a meal has said, "Golly jee, the fish was so-so. Thank God the rice was amazing! If not, it would have ruined the experience." They complain about the quality of what's on top.

And chirashi-zushi is: "A dish that consists of sashimi, fried egg, vegetables, etc and nori on top of vinegared rice (vinegar mixed with sushi-grade rice)". Please note the definition didn't say MAYBE fish, fried egg, or vegetables.

Erik, San Diego, CA

Are we going to have the curry police from India checking out chicken tikka massala?

KL, London,

Great thing! I love sushi, now, but when I started to go to sushi restaurants I went to some really bad ones. I almost gave up on it until my friend gave me some fresh caught tuna and I couldnt believe that the sushi places I ate at were that bad. But they were. Just recently the sushi in N.Y. was so toxic that people were warned about eating more than three pieces. This is what we need. Its too bad that the health department didnt come up with this. That way when they find bad restaurants they can force them to change for the better, or be shut down.

Brian , thousand oaks , ca

We have a Fry Sauce Police in Utah

Robert, Orem, USA / UT

There two main issues here: 1): Sushi has attracted non-Japanese Asian entrepreneurs because they realized it was a high-margin business; and 2) rice+soy+wasabi is really what sushi-ignoramus crave; fish, for most people, is a second-fiddle, especially since few people really know fish. When the sushi craze started in the late 70s, it was a badge os sophisitcation to eat and appreciate sushi. So it is natural now that nouveaux riches from Moscow to Bangalore want to show their friend they are sophisticated and can eat raw fish. But for us, avantgarde foodies, we've already moved on to dashi, ankimo and gobo (all home-made of course.)

eve shebang, new york city, USA

Mr. Ledbury, there are only 3 places in the entire world where you can get serious pizza: Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Kurt, NYC, USA

A great idea, I ate the worst pizza I've ever had in Rome, and the caprese in Venice had Danish mozarella, the wrong sort of tomatoes and the basil was dried powder out of a Schwartz jar! Both restaurants were run by Chinese folk. People should stick to the cuisine they know!!!

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

Hmmmm. Interesting to note how the Japanese insist on authenticity for sushi chefs outside Nippon while taking huge liberties in adapting (usually watering down) foreign cuisine over here!

Dave, Tokyo, Japan

hmm.... on reflection, it is probably better for the japanese to focus on how "authentic" the food is rather than how good it is. it would never do to have to accept that foreign-produced muck is even better than the real thing.

still, at least they're not french.

jem, london, uk

"If the rice is from Japan or California--what difference does it make? - Ruckus, Myrtle Beach, USA South Carolina."

Wine from California or Italy, France, Australia - what difference does it make? That really is a stupid question. And yes, it does taste different.

John Smith, Groningen, NL

It is important that raw fish dishes are of good quality since fish is known to carry many parasites. In the NHS the rumour is that parasitology has become a much busier profession since raw fish became popular......

Stuart, Sheffield, UK

Will they be tested to ensure they are serving whale meat from genuinely endangered species slaughtered under the guise of 'scientific research'.

Gordon, London, UK

I for one am tired of sushi places that use horseradish instead of real wasabi. This is inexcusable. Welcome sushi police.

Jeff Ahi, VA Beach,

An excellent idea! Over the years I have become increasingly concerned about the many restaurants -one on every block it sometimes seems - offering "Authentic Mexican Food." I have long wondered - what is the sanctioning or vetting agency for these dining establishments?

shu, willacy county, tx

I concur with Phil from Idaho. I live in Okinawa and love my country's food. But does that mean I want my Chinese food to be authentic as well??? Complete with fly maggots and manure? Of course not!

Yokozuna, Kadena, Okinawa, Japan

great idea and hope it becomes accepted.

I live in Japan but when I travel I would like to know which places have satisfied basic standards...

... the other article in this same paper about sushi mentions the low standards of supermarket sushi.

chris sato, nikaho, japan

Who cares? If it tastes good to you, that's all that's important. Hell, I prefer the "americanized" version of "Mexican" to the real thing. :)

Phil, Chubbuck, ID

If the rice is from Japan or California--what difference does it make? This is simply Sushi Hype and means nothing. And Sid is right. Sushi is Rice and Vinegar. Most people are eating Sashimi and call it sushi. Mercury levels are rising worldwide (Fast) in fish so " life extending " in a few years may be a moot point. It is quickly becoming a dangerous food and there is no way to stop it from being so.

Ruckus, Myrtle Beach, USA South Carolina.

Who really cares??? If you like it, eat it: if not, then don't. I don't need anybody telling me that there's something wrong with what I like just because it doesn't meet their standard of "authenticity."

Bob M., Reno, NV, USA

In response to Sid from New York: I've lived in Kansai for 15 years, and I can tell you with authority (I love sushi and have enjoyed it all over Japan) that the suggestion that raw fish in sushi is "a Tokyo thing" is laughable nonsense.

It's especially funny when you consider that when the subject of sushi comes up, non-Japanese are routinely asked by Japanese hosts/friends, "Can you eat raw fish?"

Where do people come up with these ideas???

Waldo, Kyoto, Japan

What Sushi actually means only really matters to the people buying and selling the food, the meaning of words in different places change all the time so please, a little less of the pretention as to whether it's inclusive or exclusive of raw tuna from Miyazaki or Kanazawa. I actually quite like the fact restuarants abraod mess up what they are trying to copy - it makes the experience of eating the original in its homeland all the more enjoyable!

Dave , Beijing, China

at long last! Pleas come to stockholm...the home of maybe 5 extraordinary sushi restaurants, 30 acceptable ones and maybe almost as many which do their best to ruin the experience and reputation....

mattias , stockholm, sweden

The roots of the Sushi aesthetic are in Very fresh locally produced food, so insisting the ingredients come from the proper traditional area of Japan might not produce the best Sushi I'm sure they won't insist the fish come from Japan,esp here on the W coast ,mor in Hawaii where locally caught fish is choice enogh to be sought after in Japan. I do hope this will raise the quality,and not just the prices.

Zumba, Santa Cruz , Cali.USA

I have to respond to a comment below ... Sushi is served in the Kansai area . Anywhere you go be it supermarket or restaurant you will find it , it is very popular with locals and is not ' a Tokyo thing .' I know because I live here .

M.Ohana, Nara, Japan

Mr Mead is correct, and what Erik says is mostly correct. Sushi does mean vinegared rice- specifically... but when one orders or speaks of sushi, it does not usually refer to the rice alone, because it is not eaten that way. I think the point that Mr Mead was trying to make is that sushi does not mean raw fish. Also Sid does not know what he is talking about- raw seafood in sushi is not restricted to Tokyo at all and is common in many cities, including the ones he has mentioned. Of course all food is regional with respect to ingredients used. This idea of "sushi police" seems a bit over the top and elitist. Reminds me of the issues surrounding certain foods out of Europe, specifically cheeses and wines from certain areas. There is not only one good way to do something.

Chris, Buffalo, NY,

Sid Raphael: What??? Sushi is a Tokyo thing??? I've lived in Japan for 17 years, and this includes the Kanto, Kansai, and Chugoku areas. I've also visited Kyushu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido extensively. There is sushi everywhere in Japan. That's like saying hamburgers are only available in New York City. Clearly bullocks.

Erik: Vinegared rice IS the key ingredient of sushi. That's what makes or breaks the sushi. You don't need fish or egg. How about chirashi-zushi? It's essentially a rice dish.

Kuchu, Tokyo, Japan

As some one who works in food safety, this could be a useful tool. Helping inspectors break down cultural barriers and gain understanding further into the foods backgrounds to allow for better field level evaluations of the restaurants in situation.

Stew C, Easton, PA

Mr. Mead,

According to my translation--and I trust the Japanese person who wrote the original to get it correct--"sushi" is a dish that combines raw fish or another edible (like egg) and rice marinated with vinegar. It isn't just marinated rice. I don't care what they tell you at Bel Air. Not one of the Kaiten or proper sushi restaurants I went to during my five years in Japan ever served marinated rice with the option of fish.

Japan is right to take enough pride in their most notable dish to ensure "Sushi restaurants" in other countries--only rarely staffed by formally trained chefs, let alone Japanese people--actually serve what their name advertises. There are no catepillar roles in Japan, people! Most of what is passed off as sushi (in the US, at least) is only a mock of the real thing.

Food for thought (pun intended): every professionally trained sushi chef in Japan spends the first 7 years of their career mastering how to make the marinated rice.

Erik, San Diego, CA

Is there an acceptable mercury level as well? don't get me wrong, I love sushi and tuna but right now the mercury levels are just plain unacceptable. In addition, what about actually making sure that Hamachi you are paying for isn't Tilapia would be a good start as well.

Mike , Orlando, FL

Raw fish in sushi is regional. It's actually a Tokyo thing. In other parts of Japan--like the Kansai area: Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara-- one never serves raw fish in sushi....errrr, maybe it is served once in a while in local restaurants catering to non-Japanese customers influenced by overseas sushi adulteration.

Sid Raphael, New York, US

Sushi is vinegar (mirin) and sugar marinated rice. It is that and nothing more. Sashimi (raw fish) is frequently used as a garnish on sushi. It is not necessary to use sashimi, or any other meat product as a garnish on sushi. You appear to be describing sashimi and not sushi.

Frank Mead, Rio Linda, California, USA

Bad Soy Bad Soy, what'cha gonna do, what'cha gonna do when they inspect you

Abe Froman, NY, NY