News
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan has opened a dedicated platform for supporting exports from Japan to Malaysia. The ministry now intends to promote exports to Malaysia, including those of halal products, based on the new platform.
The platform is a framework for the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)’s overseas office and Japan’s diplomatic missions aboard to support exporters in Japan of local agricultural, forestry, fishery and other food products and food-related enterprises doing business outside Japan on a long-term basis.
Exports of agricultural, forestry, fishery and other food products from Japan to Malaysia have almost tripled in terms of value over the last 10 years. As Japanese food products are becoming more and more popular in Malaysia, which has higher purchasing power and more favorable business circumstances than other ASEAN members, the number of Japanese restaurants is remarkably increasing. To further increase exports to Malaysia, however, it is necessary to handle halal products to give consideration to local Malay markets and enhance approaches to undeveloped local commercial distributions. The MAFF has, as such, developed the platform to address such challenges and upgrade support to business operators that exports products to Malaysia.
Members of the platform will this fiscal year conduct surveys to strategically sell products in local halal markets, invite Malaysian buyers to Japan, find appropriate local business operators to develop business channels to local municipalities (e.g., Johor Bahru and Penang) and make other relevant efforts.
