Category Archives: Farm Policy

【News】Japanese strawberry varieties taken to South Korea without permission, causing estimated losses of 22 billion yen (June 21, 2017)

Japan’s strawberry varieties have recently been taken to South Korea without permission, taking away domestic producers’ export opportunities and causing maximum losses of 22 billion yen in the last five years, an estimate by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Ministry has revealed. The ministry is calling for the need to register domestically-developed varieties abroad, expressing concern over the more-than-expected adverse impact on domestic production. According to the ministry, more than 90 percent of strawberries cultivated in South Korea are varieties created based on Japanese varieties. Japanese strawberries such as Tochiotome grown in Tochigi Prefecture and Red Pearl and Akihime developed by Japanese farmers were taken to South Korea without permission, … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on 【News】Japanese strawberry varieties taken to South Korea without permission, causing estimated losses of 22 billion yen (June 21, 2017)

【News】 Can Japan export gibier to Europe (Jun. 19, 2017)

Even European countries with a long established history of gibier (wild meats) dishes largely depend on imports to meet their huge demands, according to the latest report on gibier imports in Europe compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan. The report said imports account for 70% of the gibier distribution volume in France and 40% in Germany. The Japanese government has set the goal of doubling the use of gibier with one of its focuses on the expansion of sales channels. The export to Europe is one of the future options, it says. According to the report, in 2015, 11,400 tons of the wild meats were … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy | Comments Off on 【News】 Can Japan export gibier to Europe (Jun. 19, 2017)

【News】 Japan’s agricultural Minister denies possibility of eliminating import tariffs of soft-type cheeses at trade negotiations with EU (June 17, 2017)

Yuji Yamamoto, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) told the press after the Cabinet meeting on July 16 that he will not accept EU’s demand for Japan’s elimination 0f import tariff on soft-type cheese at the negotiations for a Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) free trade accord, saying “Our response will inevitably take a tough line on the EU’s demand in this respect. EU’s negotiators have been calling not only for tariff elimination of hard-type cheese that Japan accepted at the past Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deals, but also for that of soft-type cheeses that was rejected at the TPP talks. Supposing the import barriers for soft-type cheeses … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Trade Talks | Comments Off on 【News】 Japan’s agricultural Minister denies possibility of eliminating import tariffs of soft-type cheeses at trade negotiations with EU (June 17, 2017)

【News】Japan and Russia affirm joint activities in Northern Territories (June 20, 2017)

The Japanese and Russian agriculture ministries have affirmed they are carrying out joint agricultural activities on the disputed islands, controlled by Moscow but that have been claimed by Tokyo since the end of World War II. The first meeting took place in Tokyo on June 19, and was co-chaired by senior officials from the two governments. This is part of the agreement reached between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin at the Japan-Russia summit in December last year. The two countries have not yet signed a peace treaty to end WWII, due to the territorial issue. The four islands stretch from Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido to Russia’s … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy | Comments Off on 【News】Japan and Russia affirm joint activities in Northern Territories (June 20, 2017)

【News】Livestock industry stabilization act revised to increase recipients of compensatory subsidies (June 10, 2017)

A bill for the Livestock Industry Management Stabilization Revised Act, including a new system to provide compensatory subsidies to producers of raw milk for manufacturing uses, was passed in a plenary session of the House of Councilors on June 9 by a majority vote with support from the ruling bloc led by the Liberal Democratic Party. The Revised Livestock Stabilization Act, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarded as “the first drastic reform of Japanese dairy farming policy in 50 years,” is to be enforced on April 1, 2018. Under the new compensatory subsidy system, so-called outsider dairy farmers, who have not shipped their fresh milk to designated organizations of dairy farmers, … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on 【News】Livestock industry stabilization act revised to increase recipients of compensatory subsidies (June 10, 2017)