"Expectations for expansion of exports" to South Korea, which will join RCEP February, which will come into effect in January next year, Agriculture Minister

RCEP = Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, in which Japan and China participate, will come into effect in January next year.

South Korea has also completed the necessary procedures and will join this partnership from February next year, and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Kaneko has expressed his intention to support the expansion of exports of alcohol and food from Japan.

The RCEP will come into effect on January 1st next year in 10 countries including Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

South Korea, Japan's third-largest trading partner, has also completed the necessary procedures and will come into effect on February 1, next year.

This will be the first economic partnership agreement with South Korea for Japan.

At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 7th, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Kaneko said that tariffs on the export of foods such as sake and confectionery to South Korea would be gradually reduced or abolished. We hope that this will lead to the expansion of exports. We will continue to take necessary measures to maximize the use of the results of the RCEP agreement. " rice field.

On the other hand, "We do not believe that the agreement will have any particular impact on the domestic agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry, such as excluding all five important items such as rice and beef from tariff reduction and elimination."