On May 23rd 2016, ANTAM Secretariat received a Japanese delegation at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) office in Beijing, China.

The delegation was composed of two representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr. Toshio Kurakazu and Mr. Kinya Uchida; two representatives from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Institute of Agricultural Machinery, Department of Testing and Evaluation, Mr. Shimizu Kazufumi and Mr. Kawase Yoshiyuki; and one representative from the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, Mr. Yusuke Yamamoto. Dr. Katinka Weinberger, CSAM Officer in Charge a.i. joined the meeting in teleconference from Bangkok. Ms. Ai Yuxin, CSAM Project Officer, briefed the delegation on ANTAM structure and working mechanisms.

The Japanese delegation showed strong interest and reiterated their willingness to enhance Japan involvement in the ANTAM Project. In particular, to appoint an official focal point and nominate experts to participate in ANTAM Technical Working Groups.

Ms. Ai Yuxin noted that Japan expertise will bring great benefits to the work of the network. Specifically, in light of the establishment of the new Technical Working Group on Rice Transplanters. The Japanese delegation agreed to come back to Beijing once the focal point is nominated to further enhance their collaboration with ANTAM and CSAM.