The Diet passed a bill Wednesday to promote the country's agricultural exports through the creation of a single body that will handle farm export procedures and talks with trade partners over easing import restrictions.
Under the new law, which takes effect April 1, the body will handle the tasks that have in the past been dealt with by different government ministries and agencies, as Japan aims to cut down export processing times.
The body, to be set up within the farm ministry and headed by the farm minister, will manage food safety inspections and hold talks aimed at lifting import restrictions placed by other countries on some farm products following the Fukushima nuclear crisis.