Lawmakers of the Lower House began on April 5 debates on a draft approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade accord and related bills, including measures to support farmers, at its plenary session.
“The TPP deal is the best possible result from the perspective of Japan’s national interests,” Prime Minster Shinzo Abe claimed.
On the other hand, opposition parties such as the Democratic Party (DC) highly criticized Abe’s Administration by pointing out the Administration has agreed to unprecedentedly open the Japanese market of farm products, which “obviously violates the resolution of the Diet.”
A TPP tug-of-war between the ruling block and opposition parties was played from the beginning of the Diet deliberation.
The Diet deliberation on the ratification of the TPP pact is expected to continue at the TPP Special Committee of the Lower House from April 7. The current ordinary session of the Diet ends on June 1. Abe’s Administration and ruling parties hope the TPP ratification and related bills will pass the Lower House in late April.