Japan and China will formally agree Wednesday on China's resumption of Japanese rice imports that have been suspended since 2003, Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka said Tuesday.
Matsuoka said at a news conference that he is scheduled to meet China's top quarantine official on Wednesday to sign the agreement on the import resumption.

While welcoming the move, Matsuoka said, "We want to resume the export as early as possible."

The first rice shipment is expected to leave Japan in July at the earliest, ministry officials said.

Industry watchers say Japanese rice is expected to attract wealthy Chinese because of its high quality.