Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries confirmed that processed Indonesian tuna and skipjack tuna products will benefit from a 0 percent preferential tariff in Japan starting August 1, 2026, through the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA).”In less than a week, the 0 percent IJEPA preferential tariff will officially be available to registered Indonesian exporters,” the ministry's Acting Director General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products, Erwin Dwiyana, said on Tuesday.The policy is expected to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian fishery products in the Japanese market while expanding market access for the fish processing industry and fishermen's catches.The implementation of these preferential tariffs follows the ratification of the IJEPA Amendment Protocol through Presidential Regulation Number 32 of 2026.Prior to the implementation of the IJEPA Amendment Protocol, processed tuna and skipjack tuna products for four harmonized system (HS) codes were subject to a general import duty (most favored nation/MFN) of 9.6 percent.These four products include skipjack tuna and bonito in airtight packaging, tuna in airtight packaging, dried boiled skipjack and bonito (katsuobushi) with a minimum size requirement of 30 centimeters, and frozen cooked tuna.Dwiyana said his office has designated 11 Fish Processing Units (UPI)/exporters as recipients of preferential tariff facilities after administrative and technical verification processes for 30 prospective UPIs since January 2026.The ministry will also conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance with IJEPA requirements and prepare for the next stage of registration for more exporters to benefit from these preferential tariff facilities.Data from the ministry recorded the value of Indonesian fishery product exports to Japan in 2025 reached US$613.65 million, a 2.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.The main exported commodities included shrimp (52.1 percent), tuna and skipjack tuna (26.2 percent), and pearls (5.9 percent).Meanwhile, the export value of processed tuna and skipjack tuna products to Japan, which will receive a 0 percent preferential tariff through the IJEPA scheme, reached US$76.41 million in 2025, a 21 percent increase compared to 2024.