PH Seeks Duty-Free Banana Exports to Japan Amid JPEPA Review

MANILA, Philippines — Manila is seeking zero tariffs on Philippine bananas entering Japan, where the country already supplies about 80 percent of imports but still faces duties of as much as 18 percent. If secured, the concession would mark a significant improvement from the current terms under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), under which Philippine bananas face an 8-percent tariff during Japan’s summer season and 18 percent during winter. READ: PH exports second batch of saba bananas to New Zealand “In the end, (we want) zero tariffs,” Trade Secretary Cristina Roque told reporters on the sidelines of the Asean Business Media Exchange on Monday. “That’s what we want, but let’s wait for the final (agreement). What’s important is they’re already open to the talks.” Securing lower tariffs is crucial for Manila because the Philippines holds a dominant share of the Japanese banana market, supplying about 80 percent of Japan’s annual imports, which total roughly 1 million tons. Other exporters, including Thailand and Vietnam, already enjoy zero or preferential tariffs on their banana shipments to Japan. Roque said she expects duty-free access to further strengthen the Philippines’ position in the global banana market, potentially becoming the world’s top exporter of the fruit. In 2025, the Philippines ranked as the world’s second-largest banana exporter behind Ecuador, with shipments surging by about 26 percent to 2.93 million metric tons (MT) from 2.33 million MT in 2024. Asked what the Philippines would offer Japan in exchange for more favorable treatment of bananas, Roque pointed to motor vehicles. Under the current Jpepa, only vehicles with engine displacements exceeding 3.0 liters qualify for duty-free or preferential tariff treatment, while internal combustion engine vehicles with smaller engines remain subject to a 20-percent tariff. Roque stated that “if everything goes as planned,” they could sign the revised JPEPA in November. READ: Revised PH-Japan free trade deal seen by November Roque stated that “if everything goes as planned,” they could sign the revised JPEPA in November. Negotiations on the review began in early August, led by Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty, the Philippines’ chief trade negotiator. “So far, everything is going smoothly and as planned,” Roque said. Signed in 2006 and implemented in 2008, Jpepa was the Philippines’ first bilateral FTA. It covers trade in goods and services, investments, movement of people and economic cooperation. /pai