David Clarinval, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Employment, Economy and Agriculture, welcomes the lifting of import restrictions on Belgian beef to Japan, effective since 10 February 2026. This decision is the result of years of consultations between the Belgian and Japanese governments and opens up new commercial opportunities for Belgian farmers.
After years of bilateral negotiations, Japan has officially lifted the sanitary restrictions that were hindering access of Belgian beef to its market. This breakthrough reflects recognition of the quality and high sanitary standards of Belgian beef production.
The Japanese market, renowned for its high quality standards, offers interesting development prospects for the Belgian beef sector. This opening will allow Belgian producers and exporters to diversify their outlets and showcase their products in a promising market.
David Clarinval, Minister for Agriculture: “This breakthrough is the result of efforts by the Belgian authorities in collaboration with industry stakeholders. The opening of the Japanese market to Belgian beef represents an exceptional opportunity for our farmers and our agricultural sector. After years of dialogue and demonstrating the excellence of our sanitary standards, we can now showcase our high-quality Belgian beef. Japan is a demanding market that values top-quality products, which perfectly matches the strengths of our beef production.”
Opportunities strengthened by the EU-Japan free trade agreement
This opening is part of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, which came into force in 2019. This free trade agreement strengthens the competitiveness of Belgian beef on the Japanese market through a gradual reduction of customs duties. The combination of the lifting of sanitary restrictions and the tariff advantages of the trade agreement creates a particularly favourable context for Belgian beef exporters.