Today (November 14), Minister Lin Tsung-hsien, Council of Agriculture(COA), met with a delegation from the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association(JTFA) of Japan’s Toyama Prefecture, and also presented a certificate of appreciation in order to express his thanks to the Toyama Prefecture JTFA for their help in promoting trade in agriproducts between Taiwan and Japan. The Toyama Prefecture JTFA has in recent years, acting in the spirit of friendship between Taiwan and Japan, promoted the use of bananas from Taiwan in nutritious lunches in middle and primary schools in that prefecture and asked local supermarkets to sell bananas from Taiwan. The COA hopes that with the help of Taiwan-friendly elected officials even more premium agriproducts can be exported to Japan, thereby promoting bilateral trade in agriproducts.

　　The COA points out that in order to reach new consumers in Japan and to gain recognition for Taiwan bananas among Japanese from a young age, the COA has, since 2016, joined together with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan to cooperate with markets in places like Shizuoka and Tokyo, while also seeking to have Taiwan bananas included in the menus for nutritious lunches for students. The COA has this year expanded its cooperation projects to include places like Toyama and Ishikawa. On October 12, Hu Jong-I, the Director General of the COA’s Agriculture and Food Agency, went to Japan where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Toyama JTFA, under which the two sides will not only work to have Taiwan bananas included in lunches for Japanese students, but will also manage a series of marketing activities at local Osakaya Shop. Through raising kids to enjoy Taiwan bananas and developing people’s fondness for the taste and texture of Taiwan bananas, we hope to stably develop the Japanese market.

　　Minister Lin states that the friendship between Taiwan and Japan is deep, and the COA hopes to continue to cooperate with government and business circles in Japan to spread Taiwan agriproducts to Japanese highway sales channels and middle and primary schools, so that even more Japanese consumers can enjoy premium Taiwan agriproducts. In addition, the COA has already made “promoting the use of premium Taiwan agriproducts at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics” a major policy goal. To this end the COA is proactively guiding operators in Taiwan to get GLOBAL G.A.P. or TGAP 2.0 certifications, in hopes of getting Japan to include Taiwan bananas, pineapples, dragon fruit, mangoes, edamame, carrots, and bamboo shoots on the list of foods to purchase for the Tokyo Olympics. This will allow Olympic athletes and tourists from all over the world to enjoy Taiwan premium agriproducts.