Chinese chopstick tax alters dinner plans in Japan

St. Petersburg Times/AP ^ | 5-18-2006 | AP

[lainie]

TOKYO - Walk into any Japanese noodle shop or restaurant and chances are you'll be eating with a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks from China. But not for long.

In a move that has cheered environmentalists but worried restaurant owners, China has slapped a 5 percent tax on the chopsticks over concerns of deforestation.

The move is hitting hard at the Japanese, who consume a tremendous 25-billion sets of wooden chopsticks a year - about 200 pairs per person. Some 97 percent of them come from China.

Chinese chopstick exporters have responded to the tax increase and a rise in other costs by slapping a 30 percent hike on chopstick prices - with a planned additional 20 percent increase pending.

[yankeedame]

reusable plastic ones.

Reusable? Blech.

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Ditto. Sort of going to a fast food place and getting your soda in a "reuseable" glass.

Thanks...but I'll pass.

[monkapotamus]

"Me, too. There's a spicy tuna roll somewhere with my name on it."

I ended up making two pizzas. :Þ Ah well.. maybe tomorrow!

[lainie]

I went out but got a cold Mexican style salad, sticking to my good eating habits. Oh, well, indeed. :)