Japan plans to boost quality food exports to China and US

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe wants to increase agri-food exports by a third by 2019 to one trillion yen (€8.6bn), though analysts say he must aim far higher for food to become a mainstay export for Japan.

“Italy uses its food culture to drive food exports, and France is doing the same thing with wine,” said Katsunori Nakazawa, head of the export promotion division at the Agriculture Ministry.

“I want this for Japanese food as well. If our farmers don’t sell abroad, our agricultural industry won’t grow.”