FTA negotiations with Japan to commence in April
AUSTRALIA - Australia's Trade Minister Warren Truss and Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso have announced that the first round of negotiations on an Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be held in Canberra on 23-24 April 2007.As with previous FTAs, the initial discussions are likely to concentrate on procedures and the overall framework for the negotiations.
Minister Truss reaffirmed that the "negotiations will begin with all products and issues on the table".
Australia exported 405,796 tonnes of beef to Japan in 2006, capturing 49% of the total beef consumed (according to data sourced from Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corporation and MLA). Australian beef has gained strong loyalty among Japanese trade and consumers, especially after the import ban imposed on US beef in 2003.
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