S. Korea, China, Japan Restart Agriculture, Farming Dialogue

(MENAFN) Agriculture ministers from South Korea, China, and Japan convened on Monday in Incheon, near Seoul, for the first trilateral agriculture and farming dialogue in seven years, signaling a renewed commitment to regional collaboration.

The gathering included South Korea’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi, and China’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun, media reported.

Held alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Food Security Ministerial Meeting, this trilateral session had been dormant for seven years, with interruptions partly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministers focused discussions on six critical issues: food security, combating animal diseases, promoting sustainable agriculture, revitalizing rural communities, cooperation on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, and fostering broader international collaboration.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the three nations emphasized the importance of advancing sustainable growth in agriculture.

Reflecting on the talks, Song said: "I hope that the discussions initiated at this meeting will lead to deeper and more practical cooperation in the future," while agreeing on the need for regular trilateral meetings.

Song also held bilateral talks with Koizumi, highlighting potential gains in agricultural competitiveness and sustainability through cooperative efforts, noting that Korea and Japan face similar agricultural systems and challenges.

Koizumi shared on X that they engaged in “a frank exchange of views,” pressing for the removal of import bans on Japanese marine products and addressing food safety concerns.

South Korea has prohibited seafood imports from eight Japanese prefectures near Fukushima since 2013, following Tokyo’s discharge of radioactive water into the Pacific from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

This meeting occurs amid ongoing tensions, with Japan having sought a formal ruling from the World Trade Organization in 2015 over South Korea’s restrictions on Japanese seafood imports.

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