Annual trade and economic talks between Taiwan and Japan held in Taipei on 29 and 30 November will discuss important agricultural issues
Taiwan and Japan are due to to disucss a number of issues of trade, including agriculture, at the annual talks between the two countries at their annual trade and economic talks which are taking place on 29 and 30 November.
According to a Taiwanese official, Japan are willing to take the agricultural issue to the negotiating table. Taiwan is looking to Japan to open its market to five Taiwanese-grown fruits, Indian jujube, ponkan, guava, white-meat dragon fruit and mangos, except the Irwin mango which is already exported into Japan.
In the past, Japanese officials have not been very vocal in supporting these exportation aims. There has been public opposition against imports from radiation affected areas of Japan into Taiwan, so food imports and export deals have been difficult to tie down.
Agricultural issues were discussed in 2015 but shelved as the Japanese were angry at the at Taiwan's reluctance to lift its food ban. Owing to the election of the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan's new president Tsai Ing-wen, these food bans could be lifted in the future.
