Kika Yamauchi – Canberra
The delegation of Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) group to Australia met representatives of the Australian agricultural industry on Thursday, Nov. 11, and reasserted their concern that increase of imports would lead to decline in Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate.
Duncan Fraser, President of the National Farmers’ Federation who attended the meeting along with 13 other officials representing associations of agricultural items, said they have told the Australian government that they do not accept exceptions in eliminating tariffs in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks.
Other Australian officials also said that free trade would be beneficial for both sides concerning stable supply of food.
In response, Hiromitsu Arasaki, head of JA Okinawa Chuokai, explained that sugar canes are the only crop which can be grown in the isolated islands located along Japan’s western and southern borders that are often hit by typhoons. If they cannot continue producing sugar crops, people would leave the islands and the islands would become uninhabited, he added.
The delegation of Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives holds a meeting with the officials of the National Farmers’ Federation of Australia in Canberra on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Shinichiro Yasuta, chairman of the National Mutual Insurance Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Kyosairen), asked for Australia’s understanding for the fact they are urging the government to maintain tariffs on the five key agricultural products from the perspective of protecting their nature, culture and food security.
Although the Japanese and Australian officials differed on their opinions concerning tariff cuts, they agreed on continuing talks in the future. Australian officials suggested that young farmers of both countries share knowledge on farm management, and Hidetoshi Yamashita, chairman of JA’s youth association, said they will continue exchanging opinions in some form in the future.
The delegation also met with Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Australia Yoshitaka Akimoto the same day. As for the effects of Australia’s conservative coalition taking power after the federal election in September, Akimoto explained that although the new government will continue progressing with the TPP negotiations, it is focusing on bilateral free trade agreements with Japan, China and South Korea. Since Australia has already signed a bilateral free trade agreement with the United States, it may be thinking that if realized, free trade agreements would offer broader markets than the TPP pact, Akimoto said. Concerning the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement, he said he is not yet sure of the differences in policies between the previous and new governments.
(Nov. 8, 2013)