Japanese pork producers fear the impact of market liberalization under Japan-EU trade accord

KAGOSHIMA, June 26 – With Japan and European Union nearing agreement on a free trade deal, pork producers are increasingly worried about their future. Even production areas of quality pork brands are losing competitiveness in recent years, due to the continuing aftermath of disease outbreaks. Liberalization of the domestic pork market to EU with many pork exporting countries could force more pork producers in Japan to give up their business. Farmers are also concerned over the government’s failure to share information, and call on the government to ensure a stable environment for them to continue business. In the city of Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture, known as the nation’s major pork … Continue reading

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Japan rushes to strike trade deal with EU in a bid to recover public trust

TOKYO, June 26 – As Japan and the European Union work to conclude the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in early July, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration seems especially eager to strike a free trade deal in a bid to recover the plunging Cabinet support rate. In previous trade negotiations including the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and the Japan-Australia EPA, the Japanese government announced that the two parties reached agreement only after they have ironed out virtually all the thorny issues. These agreements had been called “broad” agreements because there remained legal technicalities to be taken care of before the member countries sign the final agreement, but “were almost 100 percent agreed … Continue reading

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Japan’s LDP to press foreign minister to keep farm tariffs

TOKYO, June 24 – Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was to meet Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on June 26, seen as last chance to press for keeping tariffs for sensitive agricultural products, before Japan and EU aimed to seal an overall trade deal. Prior to that gathering, the LDP held on June 23 a committee meeting about the impending Japan-EU trade deal. Members acknowledged the importance of Japan striking a trade deal with the EU as soon as possible in order to counter a backlash against globalization and protectionist sentiments around the world. Yet, there is a firm condition: “While we are pushing hard our offensive interests, it is … Continue reading

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JA group rallies for keeping farm tariffs at Japan-EU trade talks

TOKYO, June 28 – Japan’s most powerful farm group has gathered in Tokyo for an emergency rally, as Japanese and European chief negotiators are trying to clinch a free trade agreement, which will be the biggest trade deal for the EU. The Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, known as Zenchu, made a renewed call June 27 to stress that any Japan-EU deal must maintain tariffs and border measures for sensitive agricultural products, such as pork and dairy. At the rally, Zenchu Chairman Choe Okuno stressed, “I’m tired of seeing access to our agriculture market as a bargaining chip to sell more Japanese manufacturing goods to overseas. It must be stopped … Continue reading

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【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

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