Category Archives: Trade Talks

【News】Members of Japan’s ruling party urge Shinzo-Abe’s administration to take cautious attitude toward U.S.-less TPP talks (May 18, 2017)

The Japan’s ruling party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), held a meeting of its Headquarters for Implementation of TPP Comprehensive Measures on May 17, prior to a ministerial meeting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to be organized in Vietnam on May 21. At the meeting, Nobuteru Ishihara, Minister in charge of TPP, expressed his concerns by emphasizing “If a new course of direction of the U.S.-less TPP is not worked out, eleven member countries will go their separate ways.” “We would not like to rule out any option. I will lead the talks with counterparts of TPP 11 countries at a meeting in Vietnam to find out the best way of … Continue reading

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【News】Japanese government recognizes a need to readjust safeguard requirements under “TPP 11” free trade pact (May 18, 2017)

Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) confirmed their assumption on May 17 on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact will come into effect within a new framework of so-called U.S.-less TPP 11. MAFF’s officials, attending a meeting held by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Headquarters for Implementation of TPP Comprehensive Measures, replied to a question regarding the U.S.-less TPP by saying it will be necessary for Japan to change not only import quarters of dairy products that Japan agreed with all the TPP member countries including the United States, but also conditions for applying safeguard measures or emergency import restrictions of beef and other … Continue reading

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【News】Wall Street Journal article calling on Japan to import more potatoes creates a stir (May 15, 2017)

Amid the recent shortage of potatoes used to produce potato chips in Japan, a Wall Street Journal article has caused a stir by calling on the nation to increase its imports of potatoes. Japan’s imports of potatoes are controlled by quarantine inspections, but an opinion piece published by the major U.S. newspaper in late April criticized the phytosanitary issues as “unjustified import restrictions.” Some are concerned that such criticisms could lead to stronger pressure by the U.S. government on Japan to relax quarantine measures in the future bilateral economic dialogue. The article titled “Japan’s Potato Panic” says Japan’s quarantine procedure taken to prevent entry of harmful pests “was part of … Continue reading

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【News】 Opposition parties criticize Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocating “TPP 11” without U.S. (May 9, 2017)

The Budget Committee of the House of Representatives held a meeting for extensive deliberation on “Abe Cabinet’s fundamental policy” on May 8. At the meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his policy on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that Japan will play a leading role in having the TPP free trade pact take effect without the participation of the United States, saying “We will further promote close collaboration among eleven member countries of the TPP by exercising Japan’s leadership in the Pacific Region. I do not rule out any option. I would like to discuss the best way for the TPP with leaders of its member countries.” Prime Minister Abe also … Continue reading

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【News】 “TPP 11” negotiators agree only on continuous talks on implementation of U.S.-less trade pact (May 5, 2017)

The first working level meeting of so-called TPP 11, a Trans-Pacific Partnership without the United States, was held on May 2-3 at Toronto, Canada. After the meeting, the chief Japanese negotiator for the TPP, Keiichi Katakami, told the press that TPP’s eleven member countries will continue to pursue an appropriate direction of their future talks, saying “We eleven countries could agree to move discussions forward so as not to lose the momentum of the TPP.” The Japanese government aims at making an agreement among the eleven member countries of the TPP so that the existing TPP free trade deal should take effect without overhauling the pact. Governments of Australia and … Continue reading

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