New Japanese food export platform launched in Bangkok

Following Japanese PM Fumio Kishida’s visit to Thailand, Japan has launched a new platform in Bangkok. The platform, called Japan Food Export Platform, is meant to help boost exports of Japanese farm products and foodstuffs. At a meeting yesterday, Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on said that talks between the countries are “a good opportunity” to strengthen their agricultural relationship.

At the platform’s launch ceremony yesterday, the Japanese Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister said that Thailand was a highly important country for boosting Japan’s farm exports. The minister, Genjiro Kaneko, said Japan’s farm sector needs to “alter its structure so it can make profits abroad”.

Up next, Japan has also set a goal of launching export initiatives in the US, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the EU, by 2023. It started platforms in Los Angeles late last month.

During PM Fumio’s visit to Thailand earlier this week, Fumio and PM Prayut agreed to strengthen cooperation on a variety of issues through a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”. These issues include the Covid-19 pandemic, security and judicial cooperation, and economic, according to a Thai government spokesman. The comprehensive partnership was proposed by Prayut. The two countries agreed to draft a 5 year plan on economic partnership.

This news comes as Thailand and Japan celebrate 135 years of diplomatic relations. The last time a Japanese PM visited Thailand was in 2013. The last time Fumio met Prayut was in 2016, and Fumio said it was good to meet Prayut again.

SOURCE: Kyodo News | Bangkok Post