SOMA, Fukushima - The publication of a quarterly magazine describing the safety and quality of food from Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, as well as the passion of local producers, is to accompany produce bought from the area as early as October.

　The magazine, titled Soma Taberu Tsuhin (See Clip), is currently edited by eight experts from various relevant sectors. Among them are a fisherman, a marine products processor and a construction worker. The team is working as volunteers in order to reinvigorate the primary industries of the city. They are also using the Internet for activities such as communicating with readers and running auctions of local fish in an attempt to communicate to the rest of the country information on local produce and their love for Soma.

　県産食材の安全性とおいしさ、生産者の思いを伝えようと、漁師や水産加工業者、建設業者ら相馬市の有志が立ち上がり、地元食材が付いた季刊情報誌「そうま食べる通信」を１０月にも創刊する。編集するのは１次産業の再生を願って結び付いた異業種の８人。インターネット上での読者との交流や地元で捕れた魚の競りなど新たな試みも織り交ぜながら、「地元愛」を食材と誌面に乗せて全国に発信する。

　"How can we distribute it to group tourists?" "Let's find a way to enable all the producers in Soma to exchange information with each other" were just two comments from a group discussion during preparations for the magazine's publication.

　Hironobu Kowata, a coeditor in chief who runs a construction company, conceived the magazine project. Worrying about sales of local products, which hit a brick wall following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Kowata, 39, thought something must be done. His idea gained the support of his friends, and they have been working on the project since February.

　「ツアー客への配布方法は」「オール相馬で生産者同士も情報を共有できるようにしよう」。仕掛け人で編集長を務める建設業小幡広宣さん（３９）を中心にメンバーの議論が熱を帯びる。東京電力福島第１原発事故で苦境に立たされた地場産品を思い、「何か行動しなければ」と小幡さんの呼び掛けに応じた仲間が、２月から発行を計画してきた。

　They joined "Nihon Taberu Tsuhin League," an organizer of local food magazines around the nation, and printed 2,000 copies of the promotional pilot issue.

　情報誌を全国各地で展開する「日本食べる通信リーグ」に加盟し、創刊に向けたお知らせとなる「創刊準備号」を２０００部製作。

　Currently, the team is trying to find ways to attract readers. The determination of the eight members is represented by a slogan brandished on the pilot issue's front page: "No one but we in Soma should take action."

　現在は読者の獲得に向けて知恵を絞っている。準備号の表紙に躍る「どこよりも『そうま』がやるべきじゃないか」の文字が、８人の思いを象徴している。

　Soma Taberu Tsushin is to be sent to readers four times a year. Content will cover local producers; foods harvested in the area, including fish; and local recipes. There are also plans to distribute coupons that can be used in Soma. Besides sending the magazine by post, they are also considering communicating with readers through the social networking website Facebook. They are also undertaking the challenge of directly introducing readers to producers, such as by conducting field trips to producers' workplaces and running auctions on Facebook to sell fish caught by local fishermen.

　そうま食べる通信は魚など地元でとれた食材と、生産者の特集記事、食材の調理方法、相馬市で利用できる特典などをセットにして、年４回読者に送付する。雑誌を送るだけでなく、インターネットの交流サイト・フェイスブックを利用した読者と編集部との交流や情報発信も検討。漁師が捕った魚をフェイスブック上で競りにかける「そうま食べる通信市場」（仮称）や、生産現場の見学ツアーなど意欲的な試みも企画、生産者と読者をつなぐ。

　"People who worry about radioactive contamination will never stop worrying," said Motofumi Kikuchi, 39, a fisherman and the other coeditor in chief of the magazine. "I want to gradually increase the number of people who want to eat products from Fukushima Prefecture, because they are delicious."

　「放射能を気にする人はずっと気にする。『おいしいから福島産を食べる』という人を少しでも増やしていきたい」。共同編集長を務める漁師菊地基文さん（３９）が思いを語る。

　"I want to deliver not only delicious and safe foods, but also background information on their production and the passion of the producers," he added. Radiation tests will be conducted on all the foods to be delivered, and they eventually hope to purvey foods not only from Soma but also the neighboring Futaba area.

　「安全性とおいしさだけでなく、加工の裏側や生産者の思いを届けたい」。送付する食材は全て放射性物質の検査を行う。将来的には相双地方全体の食材を提供したい考えだ。

　The inaugural issue of Soma Taberu Tsuhin, which will come with a portion of local whitebait and include recipes, among other content, is priced at \3,500. For more information (in Japanese), visit the magazine's website: http://taberu.me/soma/

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　創刊号では地元漁師が捕ったシラスを、調理法などの情報と共に届ける。各号３５００円。注文、問い合わせは、そうま食べる通信のホームページ（http://taberu.me/soma/）へ。

　Taberu Tsushin

　A type of food magazine, which accompanies food purchases, that covers workers in primary relevant industries and articles on food and local producers. The movement to publish such magazines in local areas was kick-started by "Tohoku Taberu Tsushin," produced by a nonprofit organization in Iwate Prefecture in 2013. Students of Asaka High School in Fukushima Prefecture are also publishing such a magazine.

　食べる通信

　１次産業に従事する人に焦点を当て、生産者が収穫した食材と特集記事をセットで届ける食べ物付き情報誌。岩手県のＮＰＯ法人が２０１３（平成２５）年に刊行した「東北食べる通信」をきっかけに、全国でご当地の「食べる通信」を創刊する動きが出ている。本県では安積高生らが「高校生が伝えるふくしま食べる通信」を発行している。

　【　２０１５年８月１４日・本紙掲載　】