As an attempt to protect washoku, or Japanese cuisine, which was deemed an “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) back in 2013, the Japanese government is launching a new certification program in an effort to crack down on poor-quality sushi made overseas, local media reports. A growing number of sushi purists are up in arms at they see at the substandard food preparation and service in a growing number of restaurants outside Japan, the Kyodo news agency reports. There are that complaints that sushi in Moscow, for example, may be served with mayonnaise while in Paris, plates are slammed down, disturbing the arrangement. As part of their training, potential sushi student chefs will travel to Japan to be trained and rated on their understanding of the Japanese food culture, how they handle raw seafood, their level of customer service and dish presentation. There are some 88,700 Japanese restaurants registered globally as of July 2015 — up from the 55,100 registered in 2013.
