Source: New Zealand Government
Japan and New Zealand’s strong partnership is built on a long tradition of official and industry engagement, underpinned by our natural complementarities and strong business relationships. Both countries share many similarities. Japan and New Zealand are island nations in the Pacific with rich soils and climates suited to temperate agriculture.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries have played a significant role in the economy of both countries, influencing our respective cultures and national identity. Similarly, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors in both countries share common challenges. Japan and New Zealand recognise the impact our production systems have on a wide range of global issues including climate change, biodiversity and water quality. In response to these challenges both countries are also focused on transforming the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food systems into sustainable ones, which can be seen through Japan’s Measures for achievement of Decarbonization and Resilience with Innovation (MeaDRI) and New Zealand’s Fit for a Better World roadmap.
Japan and New Zealand are addressing these challenges in collaboration with global partners, as no country can resolve these unprecedented challenges alone. Internationally, we are strong collaborators in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, with the aims of enhancing agricultural productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping to achieve our food security objectives.
We are both active members in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, most recently during New Zealand’s host year in 2021 and the development of an APEC Food Security Roadmap that sets out a number of goals and key actions to achieve an open, fair, transparent, productive, sustainable and resilient APEC food system.
In this year of celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, we look forward to lifting our bilateral relationship. We seek to better understand our respective priorities in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food systems and build a closer partnership through strengthening and deepening our bilateral collaboration on new ideas, technologies and solutions to common challenges.
