◆《Motives of Nakashimamio-domestic rice price drop and pressure from foreign rice import》
The official name of Nakashimamio Shoutenn is Nakashimamio Shoutenn Co., Inc. It is an agricultural based company that engages in fertilizer, rice planting, and rice cultivation guidance provider. The company has a rice variety research center and over 10 patent rice varieties. Since the recent domestic rice industry developments in Japan are similar to Taiwan’s. Both encounter rice price drops due to competitions from imported rice. Therefore, Nakashimamio Shoutenn began contemplating on extending the overseas market. The first venue that came to mind was Taiwan.
Nakashimamio Shoutenn conceptualized production and sales collaboration with agriculturalists〔rice growers or rice dealers〕from other countries. Nakashimamio Shoutenn patent rice variety is planted locally with Techinical guidance provisioned. At first, Nakashimamio was in charge of sending back part of the rough rice/paddy to Japan for sale. Later, sales missions were entirely handled by local agriculturalists.
　
◆《Motive of Lian-Fa – the desire to change the “Quantity first quality second” concept in Taiwan》
“Yume Ka Ori”〔Dream Beauty〕is the self-created rice variety of Nakashimamio Shoutenn. During negotiation talks, Nakashimamio Shoutenn demanded high patent royalties for its rice variety. This indirectly added production costs on the part of Lian-Fa. Nevertheless, Lian-Fa agreed to collaborate with Nakashimamio Shoutenn in the end. The reason for that is because collaboration with Nakashimamio Shoutenn helps Lian-Fa to gain access to the retail market of Japan. The cultivation methods and concepts are introduced hoping to change the “quantity first and quality second” idea of peasants in Taiwan.
Chairman Chen Shui Sheng said that traditionally, rice harvested was priced based on quantity. Peasants always focused on ways to increase rice field production volume such as planting rice varieties that produce large yields, excessive use of fertilizer and pesticide. They paid little attention to the quality and taste. This is exactly the opposite to the Japanese way of growing rice. During “Yume Ka Ori” planting process, all rice field management related matters should follow methods used in Japan. For instance, during transplanting of rice seedlings, only 3 stems are allowed for 1 cluster. It is 2/3 less than the transplanting method in Taiwan where each cluster contains 10 stems. Fewer stems per cluster also means lower density and minimized blights. Each stem tends to grow healthier too. Consequently, there is less pesticide and fertilizer required. The taste in turn improves. Chairman Chen Shui Sheng hopes to change the concept deep-rooted in peasants through Japanese cultivation method learning so that importance will be placed on quality instead of quantity. Together with brand marketing and sales, market price of rice is expected to increase.
　

Traditional rice seedling  transplanting in Taiwan-each  cluster contains more number  of stems.	Dream Beauty一fewer  stems per cluster