Japan will abolish tariffs on southern bluefin tuna from Australia in stages over a decade once the recently agreed bilateral free trade deal takes effect, the farm ministry said Friday.
Under the free trade agreement, Japan will also abolish tariffs on Australian oranges for the June-September period in stages over 10 years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
While Japan has so far reached FTA deals with 12 countries and one region, Japan decided to abolish tariffs on southern bluefin tuna for the first time in the deal with Australia.
Japan now imposes tariffs of 3.5 percent on imported southern bluefin tuna, and of 16 percent on oranges imported during the June-September period. It will maintain the current tariff rates on oranges imported during the January-May and October-December periods to curb unfavorable effects on Japanese orange farmers.
Japan imported 9,000 tons of southern bluefin tuna in 2012, nearly 80 percent of which came from Australia, while Australia accounts for about 20 percent of Japan's orange imports.
As catches of southern bluefin tuna are set by an international pact, Japan's tuna imports are not expected to jump even after the tariff is abolished, according to the ministry.