TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 45th Taiwan-Japan Economic and Trade Conference held Tuesday morning (Dec.11) focused on Taiwan's ban on Fukushima food products and the country's bid to join the CPTPP.

The mixed virtual and physical meeting was the first Taiwan-Japan Economic and Trade Conference since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.

In his remarks, Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (TJRA) President Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) pointed to the strong friendship and partnership between the two nations, citing the 4.2 million vaccine doses donated in six batches to Taiwan by Japan last year.

Taiwan formally submitted its application to join the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) on Sept. 22, 2021, Chiou noted. He called for both sides to start a constructive dialogue on Taiwan’s potential membership.

Ohashi Mitsuo, chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), called Taiwan a crucial partner that shares foundational values with Japan. Tokyo welcomes Taipei’s participation in the CPTPP and is willing to continue communications about cooperation on economic matters, he said.

Regarding Taiwan's ban on agricultural goods from Fukushima and other Japanese prefectures affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear meltdown of 2011, Ohashi pointed out that 10 years have passed since the disaster and that the U.S. lifted its restrictions on Fukushima food products last September. “Now many pieces of scientific evidence have proven the safety of Japanese foodstuffs,” Ohashi said, adding that “We hope Taiwan will handle Fukushima food products according to scientific evidence and international standards, as advanced countries in Europe and the United States have done.”

“Japan will never export foods with concerns to Taiwan,” he emphasized.