Tokyo, Oct. 2 (PTI): Indian food, virtually synonymous with “curry” in Japan, is gaining popularity in the country.

Chinese and Thai food, the other favourites, are gradually being replaced by hundreds of Indian restaurants mushrooming across the islands.

There has also been an unprecedented rise in food imports from India.

The Japanese are so fascinated with Indian food that even restaurants owned by Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans display the Indian Tricolour and add the prefix “Indian” to the names of the eateries — such as restaurant chains like Siddique’s Indian Pakistani, which has over 20 outlets, and Indian Sri Lankan.

“The Japanese identify ‘Indian’ with good and delicious food. If a restaurant serving South Asian fare does not have the Indian tag, the Japanese will not go to it,” said Mohammad Sageer, a chef working for Potahar who came from Islamabad eight years ago.

Potahar, in Shinzuku, Tokyo, is owned by a Pakistani but an Indian flag hangs outside. The small eatery caters to over 100 people, mostly Japanese, who queue up for “curry and naan” during lunchtime.