Danish Minister for Environment and Food promotes Danish food in Japan
The Danish Minister for Environment and Food will be visiting Japan this week, where he is going to head a trade delegation together with the Danish Crown Prince Couple and three other Danish ministers. The purpose of the visit is to promote Danish food products and have more Danish food brands on the Japanese super markets.
- Japan is a huge market for the Danish export of food products and has been so for many years. The long and good relationship between Japan and Denmark has been very important for the Danish export to Japan. However there is still a lot of potential for Danish companies in Japan, especially in light of the recent free trade agreement between EU and Japan, says Minister for Environment and Food Esben Lunde Larsen.
EU and Japan agreed on a free trade agreement the 6th of July 2017. The agreement is expected to be in force by 2019 and is assumed to potentially boost Danish export to Japan with up to 70 per cent of the current level.
Danish ingredients on the dinner table
During the visit, Minister for Environment and Food Esben Lunde Larsen will participate in a discussion on how Danish companies can deliver ingredients such as food enzymes, vitamins and minerals for a more sustainable production in the food industry.
- In Denmark we are good at developing new ingredients and innovative products that can secure that we use all the proteins in food products and reduce resource waste. If we can export the Danish recipe on how future food products can be developed, it would be good both for the environment and Danish work places, says Esben Lunde Larsen.
The Minister will also participate in an event on food products and Danish design with the Royal Crown Prince couple. The Minister will also visit Kewpie, a large Japanese food company, where H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik will inaugurate a new production line using Danish equipment.
Selected highlights from the Minister’s programme in Japan:
| Wednesday the 11th of October 2017 | |
| 10.00 | Official opening of the Royal Visit by H.R.H. The Crown Prince |
| 10.40 | Global Food Market and Consumer Trends Seminar |
| The seminar will be about the global food trade and consumer trends. Danish and Japanese participants will discuss issues such as the new free trade agreement between EU and Japan, the Japanese need for import of food products and initiatives to meet new consumer trends. The Minister will give a speech. | |
| 15.15 | Ingredients Roundtable: How can Denmark support the Japanese food business? |
| Discussion about the food ingredient industry in Japan as well as presentations from Danish companies. The Minister will give a presentation. | |
| Thursday the 12th of October 2017 | |
| 9.30 | Food and Life Style PR Event |
| The Royal Crown Prince couple and the minister will greet all the participating companies and tour their exhibitions booths. The Minister will give a speech. | |
| 13.45 | Official royal program with H.R.H. The Crown Prince at Kewpie |
| The Minister will together with H.R.H. The Crown Prince visit Kewpie and see the Danish technology behind the new production line. H.R.H. The Crown Prince will inaugurate the new production line. | |
| 18.00 | Official celebration of the 150-year establishment of diplomatic relations between Denmark and Japan |
| The Crown Prince Couple and H.R.H. Crown Prince Naruhito will participate in the reception. Members of the cultural elite that has helped organize the celebetraion will also participate. | |
| Friday the 13th of October 2017 | |
| 12.30 | Lunch with Environment Minister Masaharu Nakagawa and Vice Minister Tadahiko Ito |
Further information:
Press Secretary Malene Kristensen, Danish Ministry of Environment and Food, Phone: +45 22 13 08 34, email: malek@mfvm.dk