(Kyodo) _ Agriculture minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka and visiting Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath confirmed Thursday the two countries will cooperate in resolving farm-sector issues at the Doha Round of global trade talks, Japanese officials said.
The two ministers confirmed cooperation between Japan and India in dealing with such issues as how to handle politically sensitive farm products -- for example, rice for Japan -- and give special consideration to developing countries in liberalizing agricultural trade at the Doha Round being held under the auspices of the World Trade Organization, the officials said.
Japan and India are among the so-called Group of Six major trading players. Other G-6 members are Australia, Brazil, the United States and the European Union.
The G-6 members are accelerating talks to try to hammer out an agreement at the Doha Round by the end of this year.
Matsuoka and Nath agreed that the two countries will discuss Japanese technical assistance to India in the field of agriculture, according to the officials.