TOKYO, May 10 —Japan will have two new rice mills and five more fumigation warehouses certified for exports to China, a key step to access more Japanese rice in the world’s largest rice market, the two governments have agreed. This is significant because Japan so far has only one rice mill and two fumigation warehouses approved by China. In 2017, Japan exported 11,800 tons of rice, of which only 298 tons shipped to China. Experts say that the Japanese rice exports may be linked to political moves related to Tokyo and Beijing turning a new page for more constructive bilateral ties in the near future. Japan and China signed a … Continue reading →

SAPPORO, May 12 —China is ready to expand agricultural imports from Japan, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said, when he made a 3-day visit to Japan that ended May 11. “China would like to import more safe and high-quality agricultural products from Japan,” Li said. The Chinese premier attended the Japan-China Governors’ Forum with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 11 in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. Li cited Hokkaido’s modern agricultural technology and said: “China also want to boost cooperation with Hokkaido in the agriculture sector.” The forum was organized by Japan’s National Governors Association. Japanese governors from 6 prefectures including Hokkaido and Yamagata, and 12 Chinese provincial governors … Continue reading →