ICO – Executive Director travels to Japan to celebrate National Coffee Day

LONDON – The Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO), Robério Oliveira Silva, visited Japan on 29 September to 5 October 2014 at the invitation of the All Japan Coffee Association (AJCA) to celebrate Japanese National Coffee Day.
Mr. Silva met Ms. Yuko Nakagawa, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Kentaro Sonoura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In his conversation with the two Vice Ministers, Mr. Silva stressed the importance of Japan, the fourth largest coffee consuming country, rejoining the International Coffee Agreement. He said that the ever increasing challenges the coffee industry is facing require international cooperation with Japan back at the table.
He also added that during the time that Japan was a Member of the ICO, it was very active, was in most of the Executive Committees, and always made a very useful contribution to the activities of the Organization.
In his deliberations, Mr. Silva stated that the AJCA which is a Member of the Private Sector Consultative Board (PSCB) has been a fundamental supporter of the ICO and recently gave a very generous contribution towards the 3rd Consultative Forum on Coffee Sector Finance, which took place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on 11 September 2013. He added that the Members of the ICO are very pleased with AJCA’s active involvement in the PSCB.
In his speech at the opening of the celebration of Japan’s National Coffee Day on 1 October 2014, Mr. Silva talked about the latest production and consumption trends in the market and the history of cooperation between Japan and members of the ICO.
Mr. Silva also attended a dinner hosted in his honour by Mr. André Corrêa do Lago, Brazilian Ambassador to Japan.
It was a rare occasion that the ICO has had an opportunity to talk directly with the Japanese government and to this end, Mr Silva said that he looked forward to continuing talks with the AJCA and the Japanese government.