Japan’s Koshien Baseball Stadium to start stocking Aussie Four’N Twenty pies

One of Japan’s most famous baseball stadiums will begin stocking an iconic Aussie meat pie usually enjoyed at footy matches.

Australia’s iconic Four’N Twenty pies have a surprising new home outside of our AFL stadiums, as it’s revealed thousands of fervent fans will soon be tucking into the meaty pastries at one of Japan’s most famous baseball arenas.

Known as Japan’s “Field of Dreams”, the 47,000-seat Koshien Baseball Stadium will soon begin stocking Four’N Twenty meat pies after they started taking the country by storm in 2019.

The major deal has been celebrated by the federal government as it scrambles to help businesses find new and lucrative markets outside of China.

Thousands of baseball fans in Japan will be enjoying Four’N Twenty meat pies at the Koshien Stadium

Trade Minister Don Farrell has inherited the portfolio riddled with issues, including a delay to the UK and European Union free-trade agreements, and brutal tariffs imposed by Beijing.

While Four’N Twenty pies have been in the Japanese market since 2019, Senator Farrell said the new deal with the baseball stadium in Nishinomiya was emblematic of a concerted shift in trade tactics.

“This is a far bigger development and it’s all part of trying to expand our trade opportunities, particularly in Asia outside of China, where we’ve had significant problems in recent years,” Senator Farrell told NewsCorp.

“We’ve had too many eggs in the China basket for too long.

“We’ve got agreements with Japan and other Asian countries, but we’re not always as ambitious as we could be.”

Japan is Australia’s third-largest trading partner, with two-way goods and services trade valued at $66.3bn.

Four’N Twenty pies are now available at more than 500 stores in Japan, as well as several theme parks and ski resorts.

Trade Minister Don Farrell celebrated the new deal as an example of how Australia is expanding its trade operations away from China. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Meanwhile, negotiations over the anticipated free-trade deal between Australia and the EU appear to be back on after considerable delays caused by the bloc’s frustration with the previous government’s climate targets and France’s anger at the cancellation of the $90bn Attack-class submarine project.

Senator Farrell remains hopeful the trade deal can be signed by mid-2023, which he said would provide a new wealth of opportunities for Australian businesses.

The South Australian senator this month will hold crucial talks in Adelaide with British trade officials over the landmark trade deal with Britain, which failed to become law before the May federal election.

[e-mail]