​When we travel, we want to buy souvenirs to spread cheer and joy to those around us.

When it comes to foodstuffs, for Muslims the choices still are limited in Japan.

Tokyo Banana "東京バナナ" and "東京ばなな", is a souvenir sweet of Tokyo which is manufactured and sold by Grapestone Company.

In Muslim-majority countries, we can find halal food so easily; in restaurants, street foods, and many other places by default. 

But here in Japan it’s different; Pork, Khamr, and many other forbidden foods for Muslims are generally consumed here. So we need to be extra selective and careful to find foods that we can consume.

Some people may wonder what the meaning of Muslim Friendly is! What does it mean to be a Muslim Friendly restaurant or hotel?

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What are the Muslim Friendly Standards and how they differ from Halal Standards? Which organization has initiated and set-up these standards?

How come some restaurants are said to be Muslim Friendly, but they serve alcoholic drinks as well as pork products, and there are many of them. 

The history of Islam in Japan is relatively brief in relation to the religion's longstanding presence in other nearby countries. 

Today however, Muslims in Japan are well established, numbering somewhere between 100,000 to 300,000 - with approximately 10% being native. Additionally, there are about 100 established Mosques and Musallahs. Outside of Japan, Muslim countries heavily trade with the country, with bilateral trade standing at some $300 billion dollars; larger even than Japan's trade with the United States.

Islam in Japan has over 3 centuries worth of history, with the earliest Muslim settlers believed to have worked in the cities of Yokohama and Kobe during the reign of the Meiji.

​Under the agreement, Muslim World League "MWL" will be the exclusive provider in Japan, generally, and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, particularly, of halal-certified meals. 

The signing ceremony was attended by Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, special adviser to the Japanese prime minister, and Prince Hiroyoshi, the cousin of the Emperor, along with a number of representatives of Islamic centers, Japanese authorities and major companies.