Vanuatu is strengthening bilateral cooperation with a small island in southern Japan—Kagoshima—with focus on beef, beans, and coffee, during the ongoing World Expo in Osaka.

Marcellino Pipite, First Political Advisor to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, told VBTC News in Japan that the mission was a strategic opportunity to reopen trade discussions.

“I met with the Governor of the island and a provincial representative named Mr. Kagoshima. We had talks about trade. They have excellent quality beef, with over 600 years of food trading tradition. They agreed to come to Vanuatu to negotiate ways to increase production, including coffee,” Mr. Pipite said.

In July, the Vanuatu delegation visited fermentation and biotechnology facilities in Kagoshima before joining the national delegation celebrating Vanuatu’s 45th Independence Anniversary in Osaka.

Mr. Pipite added that Japan has been a long-time trade and development partner of Vanuatu.

“Japan has been with us before independence and continued afterwards. We already started exporting beef to Japan, and now under the trade agreement, we are looking at improving both exports and imports between our two countries.”

VBTC News understands that Vanuatu’s participation in the World Expo is aimed at promoting the country’s rich culture and traditions, as well as local products such as Tanna Coffee, which have strong export potential.