TPP-11 nations didn’t agree to keep revised TPP secret: official

TOKYO, April 4 — Contrary to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), whose texts won’t be made public for some time, the remaining 11 members have not been asked to sign an agreement promising to keep the revised trade pact secret. “There is no such agreement among the TPP-11 members,” Japan’s director-general for the TPP, Kazuhisa Shibuya, told the upper house agriculture committee on April 3. “But you should not be surprised that this is essentially the same as the context for practicing regular diplomacy, we do not to disclose any documents for some time,” he added. In the original TPP, the trade agreement text will be kept secret for four years … Continue reading

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Japan distributes wagyu beef guidebooks for overseas visitors

TOKYO, March 29 — The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council (J-LEC) has stepped up efforts to expand exports of Japanese wagyu beef as the meat is gaining global popularity. The group has published guidebooks on Japanese wagyu beef in English, and Cantonese as well as Japanese. The guidebooks were set to distribute to hotels across the country from April. The guidebooks include some recipes that use Japanese wagyu beef, “so that overseas visitors can enjoy the rich taste and fine texture of wagyu beef when they return home,” said a J-LEC official. The group has also produced promotional videos on Japanese wagyu beef to be aired for passengers on … Continue reading

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Japan sets up online site for geographical indication products

TOKYO, March 31 — The agriculture ministry has set up a new site for Japan’s geographical indication (GI) products to raise awareness and appreciation for the nation’s rich culture and collective intellectual heritage. The site includes a list of registered GIs with images, movies and voices, featuring interesting facts and stories in Japan. It also includes a search engine to find GI products by types, names and regions. The site carries the services with content translating into English, Chinese and Thai. The Japanese government is working to extend its GI system globally through bilateral trade agreements. It aims to tackle food fraud, ensure quality, protect regional and traditional food industries … Continue reading

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Counterfeiting Japanese GI food products detected abroad

TOKYO, March 27 — Japanese agricultural brand names are being maliciously used in overseas food markets, an investigation by the agriculture ministry has found. The ministry conducted a year-long investigation to see if there is continuing misuse and counterfeiting at global online shopping sites that mislead consumers on the origin of 48 food products from 46 regions protected by Japan’s geographical indications (GIs). The findings revealed that there were more than 600 counterfeit food products that were produced abroad and falsely labeled with Japanese GIs. For example, there were Chinese-grown “Ichida Gaki,” a brand of persimmon produced in Iida, Nagano prefecture, and Malaysian-produced “Kishu Ume,” plums that are named after … Continue reading

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Japan to probe foreign ownership of agricultural land: minister

TOKYO, March 24 — Japan’s Agriculture Minister Ken Saito has said the government will investigate for the first time if there is any farmland available for sale to overseas buyers. “We will have a good look at foreign ownership in farmland,” Saito told Japan’s upper house agriculture committee on March 23. The nation’s Farmland Act does not permit any businesses or foreigners to buy agricultural land. So, the government has never investigated farmland sales to overseas buyers before. Saito pointed out that Japan has heavily restricted farmland ownership, for example, the majority of shareholders have to be farmers. “In theory, as long as farmland purchases comply with the legislation, foreign … Continue reading

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