Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his first visit to the country, with the two meeting in Brasilia. Lula pushed his counterpart to buy Brazilian beef and encouraged him to eat at a steakhouse during his visit. Brazil has been trying to open Japanese markets to its beef since 2005, with Lula emphasizing the quality and affordability of Brazilian meat. Under Lula’s leadership, Brazil has made efforts to boost beef exports to international markets, with 50 countries lifting restrictions since 2023. Japan currently imports the majority of its beef, with a significant portion coming from the U.S. and Australia. Brazil exported over 2 million pounds of beef in 2023, making it the world’s largest beef exporter, shipping to over 90 countries.
The cattle industry in Brazil is a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado region. Japan and Brazil agreed to cooperate on restoration initiatives for the degraded areas of the Cerrado. They also signed additional agreements on cybersecurity, investment promotion, and addressing global challenges such as environmental protection, climate change, and sustainable development. Kishida highlighted Japan’s recent $3 million contribution to a Brazilian fund to protect the Amazon rainforest. He mentioned that 150 Japanese executives accompanied him on his trip, reaffirming the importance of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The meeting also addressed the recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, with Kishida expressing solidarity with the victims.
Brazil is home to the world’s largest Japanese community outside Japan, with over 2.7 million citizens and descendants. The first Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil in 1908, with immigration peaking between World War I and II. After his visit to Brazil, Prime Minister Kishida traveled to Asuncion, Paraguay to attend a business summit, meet the Japanese community, and have dinner with President Santiago Peña. He then returned to Brazil to meet the Japanese community in Sao Paulo, deliver a speech at the University of Sao Paulo, and participate in a business meeting. The visit highlighted the close ties between Japan and Brazil, as well as the potential for enhanced cooperation in various areas of mutual interest.
Overall, the visit between Prime Minister Kishida and President Lula focused on boosting trade relations, particularly in the agricultural sector. Brazil’s push to open Japanese markets to its beef exports was a key agenda item, with Lula emphasizing the quality and affordability of Brazilian meat. The meeting also addressed environmental concerns related to the cattle industry’s impact on deforestation in Brazil. Both countries agreed to cooperate on restoration initiatives and signed agreements in areas such as cybersecurity and investment promotion. The visit showcased the importance of bilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges and strengthening ties between Japan and Brazil.
