TOKYO- Japanese consumers and retailers are looking forward to cheaper European cheese, wine, pasta and other products after Japan and the European Union reached a broad economic partnership agreement this week.

"We're willing to launch an aggressive sales campaign" to stimulate demand, Soichi Okazaki, president of supermarket chain operator Aeon Retail Co., said.

Under the Japan-EU EPA, wine imports from the EU region will immediately become free of the current Japanese duty that stands at about 93 yen for a 750-milliliter bottle.

The Japanese duty of 29.8 pct on soft cheeses including mozzarella and Camembert will be reduced in stages to zero under a new quota in the 16th year after the trade deal takes effect.

"Prices (of European cheeses) are a little bit high now," a visitor in her 50s to a cheese shop in Tokyo said. "I'll be happy if they become cheap."

European cheeses and wines are quite popular in Japan , but they are relatively expensive. Likely price cuts after the effectuation of the trade deal are expected to "expand the consumer base," a department store official said.

On the producer side, meanwhile, there are both hopes and concerns over the free trade agreement.

The EPA is expected to allow dairy products makers to procure some materials for cheese at lower costs. But at the same time, it "could add downward pressure on domestic products," an official of a major dairy maker said. "It would do more harm than good if domestic dairy farmers are badly affected," the official noted. (Jiji Press)