TOKYO, July 15 — Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has outlined government policy principles which include farm support programs to help producers adjust to increased EU agricultural food products entering Japan.
The move comes as Tokyo and Brussels reached a political deal on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) earlier this month.
The policy will be elaborated upon in a paper likely to be published in autumn.
Chairing the first meeting on July 14 of the new consolidated headquarters that presides over trade policymaking across government agencies, Abe declared: “As a unified team, the government will make comprehensive policy proposals.”
The aim of the new headquarters is to facilitate Japan’s early entry into trade agreements, including Japan-EU EPA and the Trans-Atlantic Partnership (TPP), both of which are considered as drivers of the growth strategy — the third “arrow” — of Abenomics, the prime minister’s economic revival program.
On agriculture, Abe said, “We need to shift our farming policy from defensive to offensive, and make sure motivated producers will find a place to continue farming, while ensuring young people can have farming careers.”
The meeting identified several areas in agriculture policy, which includes cheese and dairy products, lumber products, pasta and snack.