Agriculture Minister Koizumi's visit to South Korea attracts attention from South Korean media; his meeting with Foreign Minister Cho in particular is reported as ”unusual”

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi visited South Korea from the 9th to the 11th of this month. He attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security Meeting held in Incheon, Seoul, and
In addition to attending the Japan-China-Korea Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, Koizumi also visited rice farms and exchanged opinions on the state of rice production in Korea. Furthermore, on the 11th, Koizumi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun.
"It is unusual for the foreign minister to meet with a foreign minister who is not in charge of foreign affairs when there are no outstanding issues," Yonhap News Agency reported.
Representatives from 21 countries and regions attended the APEC Food Security Meeting, which was themed "Agricultural and Food Systems for Shared Prosperity."
"Promoting Innovation in Agriculture." With concerns over food supply growing due to global warming and other factors, participants shared their knowledge on advanced agricultural techniques to promote sustainable agricultural production.
Mr. Koizumi introduced the example of Japan, which is working to improve agricultural productivity through smart agricultural technology that utilizes information and communication technology. He said, "There is no one-size-fits-all solution to transforming the agriculture and food system.
"Sharing our efforts and a desirable future will help build a sustainable system that is resilient to crises," Koizumi said.
He visited a rice farm in the area. He inspected a 10-hectare paddy field and listened attentively to what the rice farmers had to say. He also asked questions about the role of agricultural cooperatives in reducing production costs. After the tour, he told reporters, "The world's
"I think it would be beneficial for me and for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to learn about the current situation and the situation on the ground," Koizumi said.
He visited the Seoul National Cemetery. He laid flowers in front of the memorial tower and offered a moment of silence. Among Japanese politicians, the then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2006, the then Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in 2011, and the recent
In January of this year, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited the National Cemetery. On the 11th, a meeting of agricultural ministers from Japan, China and South Korea was held. The meeting was held in response to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and was the first in 2018 by China.
The summit was last held in Beijing, China, and was the first in seven years. The summit was attended by Prime Minister Koizumi from Japan, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryon from South Korea, and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun from China.
According to South Korean news agency Yonhap News, the three discussed multiple issues facing the agricultural sector, including climate change, the spread of infectious diseases across borders, and the instability of supply chains.
The importance of information sharing and joint responses based on a common understanding of the issues at hand was confirmed. Mutual support was provided for each country's key policies, such as the development of smart agriculture technology, the shift to carbon-neutral agriculture, and the development of young farmers.
Koizumi said, "By taking a united approach in the agricultural field, we can solve issues such as stable food supplies and revitalizing rural areas. We will demonstrate friendship between Japan, China and South Korea to the world."
After the meeting, the three countries adopted a joint statement pledging to work together to combat climate change through the use of cutting-edge technology and renewable energy.
The three countries agreed to hold regular meetings to deal with infectious diseases such as influenza. Koizumi then met with Minister Song separately. This will be the first time that the agriculture ministers of Japan and South Korea have met in 2019.
According to Yonhap, the two leaders exchanged views on a variety of topics, including the 2027 International Horticultural Expo to be held in Yokohama and the expansion of Korean agricultural and food products into Japan.
We share similar agricultural structures and challenges, and through practical cooperation we can enhance our mutual competitiveness and sustainability. I hope this meeting will be a starting point for broadening the scope of agricultural cooperation between our two countries.
After this, Koizumi also met with Foreign Minister Cho, and asked for the lifting of South Korea's ongoing import restrictions on Japanese seafood.
The Korean media paid close attention to Mr. Koizumi's visit to Korea.
He is a popular politician among the people, and is well known in South Korea as one of the candidates for prime minister in the future. Yonhap News reported that during a meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Song, Koizumi said, "Two weeks ago, my wife and I
The Korean media also paid particular attention to the meeting with Foreign Minister Cho on the 11th. "Even though there are no particular issues, the Foreign Minister is not talking to the Minister of another country or ministry.
"It is unusual for him to meet with the Prime Minister," the Herald Economics reported. "There is a view that Agriculture Minister Koizumi has effectively begun his move to become the next Prime Minister." Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (equivalent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Regarding his meeting with Foreign Minister Cho, he explained, "Our government is promoting exchanges with various high-ranking officials in order to build a stronger and more mature Korea-Japan relationship, and this meeting is part of that effort."