Kirk here. This article about beef subsidies for students at Kumadai reminds me of the promotion of beef by LL Janes:

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Janes was also instrumental in bringing needed reforms to the feudalistic society that had resulted from the long national seclusion policy. The vegetables grown in Kumamoto were few and lacked nutritive value, so he ordered many new kinds of vegetable seeds (such as cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce) from the U.S.A. and cultivated them in Kumamoto. In addition, he himself killed a cow in order to feed the Western School students, who were often suffering from malnutrition, a hearty beef and vegetable stew. This was the first time for people in Kumamoto to taste beef, milk, and bread.
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The quote is from an article by my colleague at Kumamoto Gaken U, Judy Yoneoka:

Janes Promotion and Education Society
https://www2.kumagaku.ac.jp/teacher/~judy/cgi/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Janes.English

In the world we live in today, I lean heavily toward Michael Pollan's dictum: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. But, to each his own.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260713/p2a/00m/0na/016000c