IMAGE: Australian beef farmers are hoping for a better deal from Japan. (ABC / LANDLINE)
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due in Japan next week and Australian farmers are hoping a free trade agreement between the two countries will be sealed in their favour.
Professor Andrew O’Neil, director of the Griffith Asia Institute, was yesterday interview by Cameron Wilson from ABC’s Bush Telegraph program about the talks. He said there have been fears in Japan in recent years that it has been overlooked, as countries such as Australia rush to bolster their relationship with China.
Professor O’Neil believes it will be difficult to ensure Australian agriculture gets all the tariff reductions it wants, as Japan is fiercely protective of its own agricultural industry.
Listen to the full broadcast at the ABC website.
