Category Archives: Trade Talks

TOKYO, Nov. 3 — Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Nov. 2 that Japan is determined to strike a new trade agreement in principle on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the United States during the Nov. 8-9 ministerial meeting in Vietnam. “I am determined to make a new deal at the meeting,” said Motegi at a press conference. Officials from the 11 TPP members met in Urayasu city, near Tokyo, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. They managed to narrow differences, by focusing the list of provisions that will be put on ice in the hopes that the U.S. will return to the TPP. The negotiators now hope progress … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Nov. 7 – Two days before the meeting of the leaders of Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries in Danang, Vietnam, a group of protestors including those involved in consumers’ cooperative societies and the agricultural industry gathered in front of the House of Councillors’ Office Building in Tokyo, Japan, to protest against the government’s stance on the TPP free trade deal. The protestors strongly criticized that the government is trying to reach a broad agreement at the TPP talks, scheduled on November 9, 2017, without explaining the nation the progress of the discussions and the contents of the deal. “The government is ignoring people’s concerns over the deal. We’ll … Continue reading →

URAYASU, Nov. 2 — Officials from the remaining 11 members of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have managed to narrow differences, raising hopes that they could reach a new trade deal without the United States during their Nov. 8-9 ministerial meeting in Vietnam. TPP-11 officials met in Urayasu city, near Tokyo, for three days that ended on Nov. 1. They focused on narrowing the list of provisions that will be put on ice in the hopes that the U.S. will return to the TPP. “We advanced the discussion,” Kazuyoshi Umemoto, Japan’s chief negotiator, told reporters after the meeting. Umemoto said members agreed on certain provisions, including the data exclusivity period for biologic … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Oct. 25 — Negotiators from the remaining 11 members of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will meet for three days starting Oct. 30 in Urayasu city, near Tokyo, according to the Japanese government. “We hope we will advance the talks toward reaching an agreement, while keeping the deal ambitious” said TPP Minister Toshimitsu Motegi at an Oct. 24 press conference. The TPP-11 officials will again focus on narrowing the list of provisions that will be put on ice until the United States might return to the TPP. Japan wants to cut the list by half from the current 50 requests. If this is not possible, Japan hopes that the list can … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Oct. 21 — Japan’s Agriculture Minister Ken Saito has reiterated that Tokyo will not bend to U.S. pressure to review its special safeguard (SSG) mechanism on frozen beef imports. “Japan has no intention to change its safeguard mechanism,” said Saito at a press conference on Oct. 20. His comment came after a second round of Japan-U.S. Economic Dialogue between Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Vice President Mike Pence on Oct. 16 ended without a solution over the SSG mechanism. Under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Japan has the right to invoke the SSG to restrict frozen beef imports temporarily by raising the tariff from 38.5 percent to 50 … Continue reading →