Feb 01 (Kyodo) - Food exports from the European Union to Japan increased sharply in the February to November period immediately following the entry into force of their free trade agreement last year, the European Commission said Friday.
Exports of wine to Japan in the 10-month period rose 17.3 percent from a year before while butter exports surged 47.8 percent, according to European Commission data released ahead of the Feb. 1 anniversary of the FTA taking effect.
The data also showed that the overall EU exports to Japan gained 6.6 percent while imports from Japan increased 6.3 percent, suggesting goods trade between the world's third-largest economy and the bloc has become robust since the launch of the free trade pact that covers nearly 30 percent of the global economy in terms of gross domestic product.
