The new ambassador, a former chairman of Itochu Corp., acknowledged that an FTA with China would face strong opposition from farmers but said Japan needs to strengthen the international competitiveness of its protected agricultural products.
Colombia's Trade Minister Luis Guillermo Plata says the pact with Japan may be signed "in the next couple of weeks" and he will visit South Korea to sign another treaty,
Masahiko Yamada, Japan's new agriculture minister, has blogged about how the Australian free trade agreement would destroy Japanese agriculture. Australian farm industry leaders are in Tokyo trying to change his mind.
Japan's new Prime Minister has installed an eccentric arch protectionist and former beef and pork farmer in the agriculture and fisheries portfolio, dealing a blow to Australia's hopes of finalising a free trade agreement.
Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the review and possible abrogation of the bilateral trade pact between the Philippines and Japan could happen in the first 100 days of the Aquino administration.
Trade ministers of South Korea, China and Japan are targeting to conclude an investment agreement among the three countries this year in order to promote tripartite economic and trade cooperation, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Sunday.
President Ma Ying-jeou said Tuesday that Japan is a major trading partner of Taiwan and that he hopes the two countries can sign a free trade agreement (FTA).