President Santiago Pena of Paraguay has told NHK that his country can offer the food security that the world needs.
Ahead of his meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in the country's capital Asuncion, Pena expressed his hope that the meeting will help promote Japan's understanding of Paraguay's potential.
He said that his country is one of the world's major meat exporters and that it would be very interesting if the negotiations could accelerate on broader access to the farm product market of Japan, including meat.
He added that Paraguay has been requesting more market access for many years.
On the diplomatic front, Pena talked of strengthening relations with Japan and Taiwan.
Paraguay is the only country in South America that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
He said that Taiwan has faced harassment from China.
He added that such adversity has, rather, been a force for Taiwan to become a world power in technology, such as in the production of semiconductors.
The president stressed that the relationship with Japan, with which his country shares democratic principles and values, can help. He added that by helping Paraguay, that relationship is also helping Taiwan.