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By YOSHITAKA ITO/ Staff Writer
November 3, 2020 at 07:00 JST
The Okinawan-style deep-fried chicken made at Naha Air Base is featured in the first “karaage” recipe video posted on the Air Self-Defense Force’s Twitter account. (From the ASDF Twitter account)
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force has come up with a new war plan in a culinary battle it is waging against its maritime counterpart.
Despite its deep-fried chicken “karaage” recipe long failing to take off, the ASDF still thinks it will be able to blow the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s deeply popular curry recipe out of the water.
The ASDF plans to unleash a bombardment of new videos on social media showing how its bases across Japan have put their own spin on the fried chicken dish by making use of local staples.
“With the popularity of the MSDF’s curry taken as 100, we want to increase the awareness (of our karaage) to 200,” said Shunji Izutsu, ASDF chief of staff, at a news conference in October at the Defense Ministry. "We believe we can hit our target.
“Karaage holds potential, given that the food is so popular that it is sold beside cashier counters at convenience stores.”
The first recipe video the ASDF posted on its Twitter account, @JASDF_PAO, on Oct. 9 shows how its Naha Air Base dips chicken in juice from the Okinawa-grown “shekwasha” citrus fruit before frying it.
The ASDF has been trying since spring 2018 to use the fried chicken recipe to broaden its appeal among the public.
Each of its 60 or so bases developed its original recipe and introduced them on their websites and through other means.
The ASDF believes its fried chicken will help it “fly high,” especially since the hiragana characters for the word karaage can also mean “rise to the sky” in Japanese.
But it has been a tough, uphill battle for culinary supremacy.
The MSDF’s long-established curry is so widely known that restaurants around its facilities serve curry dishes to cash in on its name.
But only “those connected to the ASDF” are aware of the karaage, according to one senior ASDF official.
A Defense Ministry representative said they hope the food competition will heat up.
“The battle between curry and karaage will draw attention, resulting in a higher level of public awareness of the SDF,” the representative said.
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