Category Archives: Trade Talks

TOKYO, Feb. 8 ― Japan’s beef imports soared 60 percent in January, one month after the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the U.S., known as TPP-11, began, illustrating meat exporters enjoy the landmark trade deal in the Japanese market. According to the finance ministry, beef imports amounted to 32,885 metric tons in January, compared with 11,733 metric tons in the same month a year earlier. A sharp increase came from Canada and New Zealand. The January figure was up 55 percent from 21, 152 metric tons in the previous month, just before the TPP-11 came into effect on Dec. 30, 2018. Under the TPP-11, one immediate effect was to slash Japanese … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Jan. 26 ― Japan’s beef imports have surged since the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the U.S., known as TPP-11, went into effect on Dec. 3o, 2018, traders say, illustrating meat exporters enjoy the new mega trade deal in the Japanese market. Since official data are not yet available, “we don’t know how much the TPP has an impact on a jump in beef imports, but we are keeping an eye on it very closely,” said Agriculture Minister Takamori Yoshikawa at a Jan. 25 press conference. Under the TPP, the Japanese tariffs on beef will fall to 9 percent, a shift that is expected that Japanese consumers may turn to … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 22 ― The trade agreement between Japan and the EU is set to enter into force in February 2019, after being approved by both parliaments this month. Japan’s cabinet on Dec. 21 approved the completion of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) ratification procedure, after the Japanese parliament had voted in favor of the mega free trade deal earlier this month. With the European Parliament and the EU council have also ratified the deal, it will come into force on Feb. 1, 2019. The new EPA will eliminate 82 percent of tariffs on EU’s agricultural exports to Japan. It will also give EU food exporters greater access to … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 9 ― Japan’s upper house approved the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) by a majority vote at a plenary session on Dec. 8, leaving farmers to greet the mega free trade agreement with a sense of dread. With the European Parliament and the EU council being set to ratify the deal by year-end, the deal will come into force on Feb. 1, 2019. The lower house gave its approval in late November. Legislative debates both at the lower and the upper houses totaled only nine hours. The deal will give EU food exporters greater access to the Japanese market, with products such as cheese and pork, and deliver … Continue reading →