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On December 13, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the 2019 General Assembly of Japan’s National Council for Export Promotion of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Processed Foods held in Tokyo.
 
The Prime Minister said in his address,
 
“I would like to offer some remarks upon the General Assembly of Japan’s National Council for Export Promotion of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Processed Foods.
 
To begin with, I express my heartfelt congratulations to everyone who was awarded today for their distinguished contributions to the promotion of Japanese food overseas, and to those awarded for their excellence in export practices. Congratulations. You have my deep respect for overcoming various difficulties and making significant contributions in promoting Japanese food and expand exports overseas where eating habits are different.
 
We have seen record-breaking exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and processed foods over six consecutive years, achieving a 900-billion-yen expansion. When we set the goal of 1 trillion yen in exports at the beginning of the administration, it was said to not be possible in any way. If you give up from the start, you will never achieve anything, so we set a goal anyway and we have come this far, I believe, thanks to your enormous contributions. Japanese restaurants overseas have continued to increase, and now there are approximately 160,000 restaurants. We can say this is proof that Japanese food is spreading throughout the entire world. The global food market is growing continuously, in particular in Asia. There is potential for exports to further expand if we can capture this demand.
 
Recently, the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement was approved in the Diet. New opportunities are emerging, including the significant expansion of the low-tariff quota for beef exports to the United States. Under the leadership of Minister Eto, a budget item, namely to increase the productivity of farmers so as to enable them to respond to such opportunities, has been included in the supplementary budget. We intend to ensure that farmers can meet the increase in global demand for ingredients of Japanese food, such as Japanese wagyu beef. As I just mentioned, we hope to strongly advance efforts for strengthening the production bases of Japanese wagyu beef and dairy farming. In addition, a new act to accelerate the export of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products has been enacted. We intend to urge relevant countries to ease or abolish import restrictions, and create the appropriate environment domestically, with an ‘All Japan’ effort, so as to sell our safe and delicious agricultural, forestry and fishery products all around the world.
 
While the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement will enter into force on January 1, next year, the Japan-EU (European Union) EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) has already entered into force. The exports of Japanese wagyu beef to the EU have grown by 30 percent, and Japanese wine exports have grown by 50 percent—I assume that Chairman Mogi’s company must be increasing its exports significantly. Speaking honestly though, the exports of Japanese wine to Europe were quite low to begin with. I have high hopes that,going forward, as people begin to experience the taste of Japanese wine, exports willundoubtedly increase.
 
Let us continue working together, with Minister Eto and everyone here, to achieve the goal of 1 trillion yen in exports and even aim higher. The Abe Cabinet will continue tofully support everyone engaged in exports.
 
In closing, I would like to express my best wishes for the continued success of all those in attendance here today, including Chairman Mogi. I ask for your continued cooperation going forward. Thank you.”