Category Archives: Farm Policy

Malaysia lifts 7-year ban on Japanese beef imports

TOKYO, Nov. 8 — Malaysia has lifted a 7-year ban on beef imports from Japan which could boost Japanese exports to Muslim markets. Shipments of eligible Japanese beef have been allowed to enter Malaysia since Nov. 7 without any age limit conditions, the Japanese agriculture ministry said. Japanese cattle producers need to comply with Malaysian halal standards. Slaughterhouses in Kumamoto and Tokushima prefectures have been certified as halal compliant by the Malaysian Muslim authority. In 2010, Malaysia banned import of Japanese beef due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Japan. Tokyo had requested Malaysia to lift the ban, and the two discussed food safety conditions for imports. Lifting the … Continue reading

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Japan-EU trade deal to eliminate tariffs on 82% of farm goods

TOKYO, Nov. 1 — A Japanese government analysis of the agricultural sections of the Japan-EU free trade agreement has revealed that tariff cuts on sensitive products such as dairy and meat may negatively impact in the long term by increasing EU imports. The analysis suggests that Tokyo will offer Brussels the same level of market openings, as large as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Once the agreement is fully implemented, Japan will scrap import tariffs on 82 percent of agriculture and food products imported from the EU. All industrial imports will be allowed to enter Japan entirely duty-free. Despite tariff cuts on other agriculture products, rice is excluded from the agreement … Continue reading

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Trump wants Japan to reduce trade surplus with US

TOKYO, Nov. 7 — U.S. President Donald Trump has been calling on Japan to reduce its trade surplus with the United States, blaming his country’s trade deficit on unfair trade deals between the two. Japan’s Prime minister Shinzo Abe met Trump on Nov. 6 in Tokyo, the first destination of the president’s Asia trip, to discuss primarily North Korea and trade. Both have agreed to accelerate engagement on trade through the ongoing Japan-U.S. Economic Dialogue between Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Vice President Mike Pence, Japanese government officials explained. But during the meeting, Trump didn’t ask Abe to launch bilateral trade negotiations with the U.S., they said. Speaking at … Continue reading

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Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers experience rice harvesting

LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai (center) experiences rice harvesting with a binder in Ome, Tokyo, on Nov. 4. TOKYO, Nov. 5 – Twelve Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers participated in a rice harvesting event on Nov. 4 held in the city of Ome, western Tokyo. The event was part of a project proposed by LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai to let LDP lawmakers experience rice cultivation. Under the project, Kinuhikari brand rice and glutinous rice seedlings were planted on a 10-are paddy in June. Around 60 people attended the event, including Nikai, Hiroshi Moriyama, the LDP’s Diet affairs chief, and Tetsuro Nomura, head of the party’s agriculture and forestry division. “We can’t speak … Continue reading

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Beef imports to Japan up in September; Rise in US shipments

TOKYO, Nov. 4 — Japan’s beef imports grew for a second straight month in September, despite Tokyo’s introduction of the World Trade Organization (WTO) special safeguard measures, data from the finance ministry has showed. Overall beef imports to Japan surged 44% to 60,849 metric tons in September, compared with the same month a year earlier. That was the biggest rise since July 2013. Frozen beef imports from the United States rose 21% to 10,405 metric tons in September from a year earlier, even after the Japanese government raised the tariff on imported frozen beef to 50 percent from 38.5 percent on Aug. 1. Australian frozen beef imports in September jumped … Continue reading

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