Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe participated on Friday a ceremony marking the start of Japanese export of rice to China and expressed his hope that the agricultural product fit the diet of Chinese people.

Abe said he is happy about the export, which he proposed during his visit to China shortly after taking office last year, and is grateful for the assistance by the Chinese side over the process which make the export come true.

The first batch of 24 tons of rice is for Beijing and Shanghai.

The export of rice is a new opportunity to further develop the mutually beneficial cooperation between Japan and China, Abe added.

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi said in his part that the export is the fruit of mutual efforts under the general background of a improved China-Japan relationship.

He regarded the prospect for bilateral agricultural cooperation as broad and expected promotion of related trade and exchanges.

Japanese parliament members, farmers and representatives from agricultural organizations participated the ceremony in a hotel in central Tokyo.