OK: Are your products popular?

MT: They aren't very popular in Tohoku (Northern Honshu). They don't have citrus fruits in Tohoku so they don't have the same dietary culture. Though people from all over Japan move to Hokkaido, so there is a desire for yuzu products there.

OK: How about in the south?

MT: Okinawa has a different kind of citrus. The fragrance is a bit different. They have sour mikans in Tokyo and the areas south of Tokyo, (so our yuzu products are popular there).

OK: Do you think there's an opportunity to sell your products in other countries?

MT: We had a product display in America. I went there once. There are Japanese people living there who had trading companies, so we were able to do some business through them. We didn't sell a lot, however, as shipping costs proved to be expensive.

OK: There are other yuzu products apart from Umaji's on the market, so how did you create a unique image for your products?

MT: We don't just sell products; we're selling Umaji as well. That's a bit different.

OK: What kind of image do you have of your own product? Do you think it's unique?

MT: Well, we can't really rate our own product but... for food, if you don't have faith in your product you can't recommend it to other people. If you offer it to other people it means you think your food is delicious and safe. Otherwise, no one would buy it.