Category Archives: Trade Talks

TOKYO, March 10 — Japanese opposition parties have expressed doubt about the intention of the Shinzo Abe-led government that was in a hurry to pass revised Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) legislation at the current parliamentary session. They addressed the matter after 11 countries including Japan signed the trade pact, renamed the Comprehensive Progressive TPP (CPTPP), in Santiago, Chile on March 8. “The exporting expansion of industrial goods at the expense of agriculture remains in the revised TPP-11,” said Takahiro Sasaki, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP)’s senior member of the lower house agriculture committee. “Yet, we haven’t seen a clear picture of how to transform the agriculture sector, while protecting farmers from … Continue reading →

SANTIAGO, March 10 — Moving ahead without the United States, 11 countries including Japan signed a revived Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact in Santiago, Chile on March 8. But Washington managed to steal the limelight from the mega free trade deal. On the same day as the new TTP signing, U.S. President Donald Trump set in motion a proclamation imposing heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which could open the door for other countries to retaliate, sparking fears of a global trade war. The original TPP was thrown into limbo last year when President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal during his first week in office saying he … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Feb. 22 — A group of Japanese MPs have reaffirmed their opposition to  the government renegotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with the United States. The MPs from the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who formed a group to protect the nation’s interests in the TPP held a meeting on Feb. 21. “TPP was a result of long and complex negotiations,” said Taku Eto, who chaired the meeting. “After simply dumping it, how could they (the U.S.) come back to unravel the whole process?” The move came as U.S. President Donald Trump said in January that he might consider rejoining the trade pact, if he could get a “better deal” … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Feb. 23 – The full text of the new agreement under the Trans-Pacific Partnership framework without the United States was released on Feb. 21, but it does not include any preferential provisions to encourage the U.S. to rejoin the pact, which means if the U.S. wishes to be readmitted, it will be treated in the same way as any other country seeking membership. The new TPP agreement — now officially known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership — is designed in a way that consensus from all 11 members would be required were the U.S. to join the deal as a new member, and some interpret … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Jan. 27 — Japanese and U.S. officials have met in Tokyo to identify trade issues relevant to the two countries, ahead of a third round of Japan-U.S. Economic Dialogue to be held in spring. During the bilateral talks that ended on Jan. 26, Washington’s demands echoed what President Donald Trump has been preaching — lowering the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. Washington demanded Tokyo change requirements in its safeguard mechanism for frozen U.S. beef imports to avoid triggering a raise in tariffs. Under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Japan has the right to invoke the safeguard to restrict frozen beef imports temporarily when the imports rise more than 17% … Continue reading →