A character (usually a schoolgirl) waking up and saying "oh no, I'm late for school!" before running out the front door with a piece of toast hanging from their mouth has been a running gag in anime & manga since the 1970s. The logic behind it is simple enough; toast is eaten for breakfast all over the world and can be made in minutes. But toast isn't a traditional Japanese breakfast food, according to the Niigata prefectural government, who think the youths of today should be eating more rice in the mornings. 

Toast was introduced to Japan by the American occupation following World War II and quickly became a staple for breakfast and lunch due to rice shortages. Today, however, there is no such rice shortage but instead a decline in rice consumption. A promotional video released by the government posits the "late for school" trope is to blame for rice's recent decrease in popularity because it's led people to associate toast with breakfast instead.

Niigata is a region known for its rice farming, so to combat breakfast stereotypes they've come up with a new campaign depicting schoolgirls running late while eating rice balls intead. The first live-action promotional video features actress Manami Igashira playing the beloved role of Late Schoolgirl, munching on an onigiri made from locally-sourced rice grown by her grandfather.

The video makes it look easy, but I'd imagine eating a clump of rice while running would be a lot messier than it makes it out to be. You'd probably be better off with toast at that point. What do you guys think? Will this campaign catch on? Let us know in the comments!