Targeting of the more progressive farmers in Japan is an area ripe for activity as the reform process develops.
The conclusion of the Japan Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA), proposals to develop Northern Australia and the move towards the consummation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are all playing a part in changing the interaction with Japan’s agricultural sector which has been characterised by Government controls, subsidies and the strength of the central agricultural co-operative JA. So, as a result of the Japanese Government’s agricultural reform process, there are some moves taken by farmers in Japan to sidestep the co-operative and deal directly with food manufacturers and retailers. Targeting of the more progressive farmers in Japan, especially with a view to developing collaboration between Australian and Japanese farmers, is an area ripe for activity as the reform process develops.