Speaking in Brussels, Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said: “We strongly support a comprehensive trade liberalising deal. It would greatly benefit our EU pigmeat, dairy, wine and olive sectors and offer EU exporters enormous opportunities. Demand for non-traditional Japanese food is growing significantly in Japan. Because we have always had good relations with Japan in the international fora like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), it should be easy to get a good agreement. Agriculture plays a major role in both societies. The EU should not close the door to a comprehensive FTA with Japan“.

The moves comes after the Commission adopted last July a recommendation authorising the opening of negotiations for a FTA between the two sides. Japan is the EU's second biggest trading partner in Asia, after China and a major importer of EU agricultural produce, being the fourth biggest client.

In the context of the trans-pacific partnership launched by the US, the EU must be proactive in this region to keep a good trade flow. A trade deal with Japan could boost the EU's GDP by almost one per cent.