4 Communicating Japan's Economic Strengths (Including the Promotion of Japanese Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery and Food Exports)

(1) Promotion of Japanese Companies' Overseas Business Expansion by the MOFA and Accompanying Diplomatic Missions Overseas

The number of Japanese companies operating overseas has been increasing over the medium- to long-term despite being affected by domestic and overseas economic conditions and other circumstances. One of the reasons behind this is that many Japanese companies, which underpin Japan's economic development, have embarked more actively than ever before on overseas expansion with the aim of further cultivating foreign markets. There is considerable momentum behind economic growth abroad, mainly in Asia. To capture this for the Japanese economy, it is becoming increasingly important for the Government to support Japanese companies.

In light of the situation, MOFA, in coordination with diplomatic missions overseas, has been engaged in supporting Japanese companies in their efforts to expand their businesses overseas. At the diplomatic missions overseas, all staff, including those responsible for Japanese business support, provide Japanese companies with information while lobbying foreign governments under the leadership of ambassadors and consuls-general. Under the motto of being “open and responsive government offices,” these missions aim to provide specific support that corresponds with the conditions in that respective region. They also offer seminars about local legal systems, various information and legal consultations. In FY2022, these were provided at 20 diplomatic missions in 15 countries, with a focus on Asia and Africa.

In addition to consultations about business problems, another important function performed by diplomatic missions overseas for Japanese companies is promotion and publicity of the “Japan Brand” for products, technologies and services, as well as for agricultural, forestry and fishery products from Japanese companies at receptions to celebrate the Emperor's birthday and various other events and exhibitions. These missions actively offer the embassies and official residences of the ambassadors for use as publicity and advertising spaces for Japanese companies to hold product exhibitions, or for local governments to hold local product exhibitions and food-tasting events. These spaces can be used for conducting seminars on business expansion, or for exchange with local companies and concerned organizations. In addition, diplomatic missions overseas conducted projects utilizing online methods in response to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

(2) Promotion of the Japanese Infrastructure System in Overseas Business Expansion

In order to capture infrastructure demand mainly in emerging countries and promote the overseas deployment of infrastructure systems by Japanese companies, the “Ministerial Meeting on Strategy relating to Infrastructure Export and Economic Cooperation,” comprising relevant cabinet ministers and the Chief Cabinet Secretary serving as chair, was established in 2013. A total of 54 meetings have been held as of December 2022. The Meeting had discussed annual revisions to and follow-ups for the Infrastructure System Export Strategy, which was formulated in 2013. In December 2020, the Meeting formulated the “Infrastructure System Overseas Promotion Strategy 2025” (hereinafter “the New Strategy”) based on recent changes in the relevant situations. The New Strategy aims to garner 34 trillion Japanese yen in infrastructure system orders in 2025 by promoting the achievement of three goals, namely (1) achieving economic growth, (2) contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and (3) realizing “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” clarifying this as a key strategy. Japan has finalized the “Policy toward steady implementation of the New Strategy looking at the post-COVID-19 era” and has formulated “thematic action plans” on five areas that include utility, mobility/transportation, digital, construction/urban development, and agriculture/healthcare/postal services, as well as established policy targets (key performance indicators, or KPI) for such things as trade promotion by high-ranking ministry officials to complement the Prime Minister's trade promotion efforts. Furthermore, in June 2022 Japan formulated a supplementary version of the New Strategy and clarified key strategies based on changes in the environment. In addition, Japan is also promoting a variety of measures to achieve the New Strategy's goals, such as setting specific measures that are in line with priority strategies.

With regard to diplomatic missions overseas, MOFA has been appointing “Officers in charge of Infrastructure Projects” to gather and consolidate information on infrastructure projects (approximately 200 personnel at 99 diplomatic missions overseas in 77 countries as of the end of March 2023). This initiative has also shown results.

(3) Promotion of the Export of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Food (Import Restrictions on Japanese Food Products after the Great East Japan Earthquake)

Expanding exports of Japan's agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products is a major objective of the Government of Japan. The Strategy to Realize Export Expansion of Agricultural, Forestry, Fishery and Food Products was formulated in December 2022 to further promote concerted efforts by the Government of Japan. The strategy calls for developing exporting regions and business operators in order to achieve two trillion yen by 2025 and five trillion yen by 2030 of agricultural, forestry, fishery, and food product exports. As part of efforts to accelerate initiatives to further expand exports, the strategy was revised at the end of 2021, the year in which exports exceeded one trillion yen, as well as in June 2022 and December 2022. MOFA enthusiastically promotes the attractiveness of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products by collaborating with the relevant ministries and agencies, as well as Japanese companies and local governments, utilizing the networks of organizations such as diplomatic missions overseas as well as social media and other tools. In particular, Japanese business support officers (in charge of the food industry) have been assigned to 60 diplomatic missions overseas in 56 countries and regions to strengthen initiatives to promote the export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and food. Japan has made energetic efforts toward such promotion at numerous opportunities such as receptions and cultural events to which dignitaries have been invited from countries and regions around the world. Furthermore, since April in major exporting destinations and regions, Japan Food Export Platforms have been launched and are primarily staffed by personnel from diplomatic missions overseas, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)'s overseas offices, and Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO) personnel who are stationed overseas, providing ongoing, comprehensive, and expert support to local export businesses.

One of the biggest barriers to increasing exports is import restrictions on Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food by countries and regions following the Great East Japan Earthquake and TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. Completely eliminating these restrictions and addressing Japan's reputational damage are top priorities for the Government of Japan, MOFA has been making efforts in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies to have these restrictions lifted as quickly as possible. As a result of these efforts, in 2022, import restrictions were lifted in the UK (June) and Indonesia (July). So far, 43 countries and regions have removed their import restrictions.

For the 12 countries and regions that are still maintaining their import restrictions as of the end of 2022 (restrictions including suspension of imports: Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau; conditional import with certificates: French Polynesia, the EU, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Russia), MOFA will closely work with the relevant ministries, agencies, local governments and international organizations and will continue taking every opportunity and making every effort to provide further explanations and appeal to these countries and regions, with the goal of having restrictions promptly removed and reputational damage repaired based on scientific evidence.