Category Archives: Trade Talks

TOKYO, Nov. 18 — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in his first policy speech to the Japanese Parliament following his recent landslide election victory, has pledged to keep advancing farm reforms. “I’m convinced that Japanese citizens desire to see implementation of the policy pledges in a stable political manner,” Abe said in an address on Nov. 17. “We will reform the entire agriculture sector so that younger generations can have hope and opt for farming careers,” he added. Abe’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito swept to victory in an October national election, with a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament. He also said that … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Nov. 16 — Japan and the EU have confirmed that ministerial-level contacts could be set up to wrap up a trade deal before the year’s end, seeking to resolve a controversial proposed investment protection provision. Both have considered separating the so-called investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) provision from the agreement, informed sources said. Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono talked with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström over the phone on Nov. 15. Malmström also talked separately with Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko on the same day. Senior officials from the two will meet again this month, focusing on the contentious issues including the ISDS provision. The ISDS provision allows foreign investors … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Nov. 15 — Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has suggested that “an agreement in principle” adopted by the remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) members in Vietnam earlier this month will allow Tokyo to renegotiate agricultural market access if it wishes. “You can rest assured what we should have in the agreement,” Motegi told reporters at a Nov. 14 press conference. On Nov. 11, the 11 TPP countries inserted a clause in the agreement, stipulating that they will renegotiate the deal if any country requests it and if there is no prospect the U.S. will return to the TPP. Yet, many observers and farm lobbyists privately said that the parameter of … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Nov. 3 — Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has started discussing new funding for farm support programs to help producers adjust to increased agricultural food imports entering Japan under new trade deals. That move coincides as Tokyo and Brussels aim to complete the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) by the end of the year. The LDP held a Nov. 2 meeting with an internal task force that deals with the Japan-EU EPA as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “Whether we can win trust from farmers depends on how much money we can get from government spending,” said Hiroshi Moriyama, who has been appointed as head of the … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Nov. 21 – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received questions on Nov. 20 from representatives of both the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties at a plenary session of the Lower House regarding the policy speech he delivered on Nov. 17. Responding to a question from Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Party of Hope (Kibo no To), the second-largest opposition force, Abe denied that he and United States President Donald Trump had discussions on a bilateral trade framework when they met in Tokyo on Nov. 6. “There was no talk on a Japan-U.S. free trade agreement in my conversation with President Trump,” Abe said. Abe’s remarks run counter to … Continue reading →