New protections for British food and drink in Japan
- 22 December 2024
The UK government has secured new protections for British food and drink products in Japan, which will help to boost exports and support jobs in the UK.
The new agreement, which was signed by International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsuro Nomura, will see the UK and Japan recognise and protect each other’s geographical indications (GIs).
GIs are a type of intellectual property right that protect the names of products that are produced in a specific geographical area and have a unique quality or reputation. For example, Scotch whisky, Cornish clotted cream and Melton Mowbray pork pies are all protected GIs in the UK.
The new agreement will mean that British producers will be able to register their GIs in Japan, which will give them the exclusive right to use the name of their product in the Japanese market. This will help to prevent counterfeiting and imitation, and will give consumers confidence that they are buying genuine British products.
The agreement is also expected to boost exports of British food and drink to Japan, which is a valuable market for UK producers. In 2023, the UK exported £1.4 billion worth of food and drink to Japan, and the new agreement is expected to help increase this figure in the years to come.
International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:
“This agreement is a major boost for British food and drink producers, and will help to protect their products from counterfeiting and imitation. It will also give consumers in Japan confidence that they are buying genuine British products.
“Japan is a valuable market for UK food and drink exports, and this agreement will help to increase exports and support jobs in the UK.”
Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsuro Nomura said:
“I am pleased to sign this agreement with the UK, which will help to protect the names of British food and drink products in Japan. This agreement will also help to promote trade between our two countries, and will give Japanese consumers confidence that they are buying genuine British products.”
The agreement will come into force on 1 January 2025.
New protections for British food and drink in Japan
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