Ecuador has taken an important step in its trade diversification strategy by announcing the start of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Japan. The aim is to open up new opportunities in Asia-Pacific and reduce dependence on traditional markets such as the United States, China, and the European Union.

Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, is a demanding market but one full of possibilities for Ecuadorian products that are already recognized globally: shrimp, bananas, cocoa, flowers, and tuna. Between January and May 2025 alone, non-oil exports totaled more than USD 15 billion, with shrimp, bananas, and cocoa leading the way. An eventual agreement would allow Ecuador to compete on better terms with countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines, which currently have tariff advantages in that market.

From the Ecuadorian-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, its executive director, Eymi Sánchez, recalls that the relationship between the two countries has more than a century of diplomatic history, which provides a solid framework for considering a long-term agreement. In her words, Japan would find in Ecuador a space to expand its export offerings, while our country would have the opportunity to access knowledge transfer and new tools to continue improving its production processes.

Eymi commented that this treaty should be understood more as a strategic alliance than as a simple tariff cut. “The Japanese market demands quality, and our exporters already know this. There are examples that demonstrate this. In Ecuador, we have a well-known broccoli company that was acquired by a Japanese conglomerate, which provided it with hydrogen freezing technology. Thanks to this, today its products arrive in Japan with the freshness of having just been harvested.”

This leap in standards would not only benefit large exporters. Reducing tariffs would open up more space for tropical fruits or value-added products to compete on equal terms. Currently, Ecuadorian bananas pay a 20% tariff in Japan, while those from the Philippines enter with much lower rates. The same is true for shrimp compared to Vietnam. An FTA would help close these gaps.

Beyond the export of goods, Sánchez highlights a key point: the impact that an agreement would have on the logistics chain and related services. If export and import volumes increase, this would generate not only more opportunities for producers, but also for the entire logistics ecosystem that supports foreign trade. Japanese shipping companies with a presence in Ecuador could expand frequencies and routes, which would boost port operations and provide greater connectivity to markets. This would mean more efficient transit times, reduced costs through economies of scale, and a direct boost for land transport, storage, and integrated services companies. In simple terms: an FTA not only moves products, it also moves ships, trucks, containers, and people, strengthening the entire network that makes it possible for exports to reach their destination.

With these prospects, an agreement with Japan would not only be a new market, but also an engine to boost competitiveness, logistics, and innovation in Ecuador, consolidating the country as a reliable partner in the Asia-Pacific region.