Photo/Illutration Chocolate products on display at a “fair trade” shop in Sapporo in 2019 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Whenever I see a Japanese-language label stuck on the back of a bottle of wine or a package of food imported from abroad, I feel the urge to rip it off.

The label, which indicates the country of origin, ingredients and the importer, sometimes hides the real gem, or the original label that may include information the manufacturer wants to share.

I went to a shop carrying imported sweets yesterday to look for a “single-origin” chocolate.

Made only from cacao beans sourced from a specific country, the products are becoming popular in Europe and the United States for their rich flavor.

Some products say they give due consideration to human rights and the environment. 

They are gaining support from consumers who not only love chocolate, but want to be ethically mindful of problems such as child labor and deforestation.

As the shop was filled with shoppers getting ready for Valentine’s Day, I had difficulties finding a single-origin product.

But when I looked closely at a British-made chocolate bar, the package showed in small print that it is made only from cacao beans from Peru.

I purchased the product, although it was several times more expensive than chocolate bars I usually eat.

When I carefully peeled off the Japanese-language label on the back, I found marks to indicate there was no slave labor involved and that it was packaged with recycled paper.

There also was the message of commitment from the manufacturer’s founder to making chocolates that are friendly to the Earth and humanity.

I bit off a piece and enjoyed the fragrance and taste of cacao.

In her 2006 book “Bitter Chocolate,” Canadian journalist Carol Off exposed the reality of the cocoa industry in West Africa, from government corruption to low-wage child labor.

The sweetness of chocolate hides such bitterness.

The author points out that consumers should think about fairness when they call for cheaper products.

Not all single-origin chocolates are necessarily fairly traded, but if knowledge can change consumer awareness, it would be a shame if vital information is hidden beneath Japanese-language labels.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 14

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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