Vietnam calls on Japan to open market for its pomelos

Five-year Vietnam - Japan cooperation plan expected

At the start of the meeting, Ambassador Ito recalled his previous encounter with the Acting Minister in Hai Duong during the inauguration of a school modeled on Japanese education, praising the Ministry leadership’s support and commitment.

He emphasized the close cooperation between the Japanese Embassy and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and expressed hope that the two sides would continue to work closely in the future.

Referring to upcoming cooperation programs, Mr. Ito highlighted Minister Thang’s planned visit to Japan in early September 2025, calling it a milestone following the April summit between the two Prime Ministers, where both sides pledged to ensure food security, promote sustainable agriculture, and apply digital transformation (DX) and green transition (GX) in the agri-food sector.

“We hope the talks between Minister Thang and Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Koizumi on September 4 will lay the foundation for a five-year cooperation plan,” Ambassador Ito said.

During the visit, the two sides are also expected to sign several memoranda of understanding involving enterprises. These commitments, he stressed, aim to boost private investment, develop value-added agriculture, and enhance productivity. The Ambassador asked the Acting Minister to ensure these agreements are quickly implemented.

Another priority raised by Mr. Ito was the Green Expo 2027 in Yokohama, scheduled for March 2027 and themed on food security, climate change, and biodiversity. He formally invited the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to participate in the event.

Opening market access for fugu and fresh fruit

Japan argued that the EU’s proposal to list all freshwater eel species under CITES lacks scientific grounds and could negatively affect regional trade. The Ambassador asked Vietnam to support Japan’s stance at CITES COP20 in Uzbekistan this November.

He also raised the issue of cooperation over fugu (pufferfish), a Japanese delicacy currently banned in Vietnam, expressing hope that the restriction could be lifted to open a new avenue for bilateral trade. Other strategic areas of collaboration he mentioned included emissions reduction under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), development of strategic minerals, ODA projects on salinity control in Ben Tre and fisheries surveillance capacity building, and Japan’s willingness to contribute to Vietnam’s upcoming amendment of the Environmental Protection Law in 2026.

In response, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang congratulated Ambassador Ito on his new role and noted their long-standing connection since his tenure in Hai Duong. He affirmed that cooperation between the Ministry and the Japanese Embassy has grown positively and would continue to deepen.

On the September agenda in Tokyo, the Acting Minister confirmed that both sides were carefully preparing to sign important MoUs. He accepted the invitation to attend Green Expo 2027 and said the Ministry would arrange for senior leadership to participate.

On CITES, he expressed support for Japan’s position on freshwater eels and instructed technical departments to discuss the issue and report to higher authorities. Regarding fugu, he acknowledged it as a premium dish popular with many Vietnamese and agreed in principle, assigning relevant agencies to study and discuss the matter further.

However, he also urged Japan to facilitate access for Vietnamese agricultural and fishery products. Specifically, he called on Japan to expedite its decision to open the market to Vietnamese pomelos and finalize talks on Japanese grapes entering Vietnam. He affirmed Vietnam’s support for imports of Japanese grapes and peaches, while expecting Japan to allow entry for Vietnamese passion fruit and other agricultural products.

“The two countries have elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, but cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries still holds much untapped potential. We need to push harder for deeper integration,” he stressed.

Regarding the JCM, he noted that Vietnam is drafting a decree for domestic implementation, which is expected to be issued in 2025 and will provide the framework for concrete cooperation with Japan and other partners.

On strategic minerals, the Acting Minister invited Japan to propose specific partners to work with Vietnamese authorities, stressing the principle of balanced benefit-sharing and technology transfer.

As for the amendment of the Law on Environmental Protection, expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in 2026, he underlined its goal of aligning international climate commitments with socio-economic development, and welcomed Japanese consultation and support during the process.

“The Ministry is committed to providing the utmost support for Japanese businesses in Vietnam in areas under its management, and we hope to receive the Ambassador’s attention and assistance, as well as that of relevant agencies”, Mr. Thang affirmed.