Takanori Okabe
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the first summit meeting with United States President Barack Obama on Friday, February 22 (Saturday, February 23, Japan time). Concerning the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, Abe said in a press conference held after the meeting that the two governments “confirmed that they are not required to make a prior commitment to unilaterally eliminate all tariffs without exceptions.” On the issue of whether to join the TPP negotiations, Abe said that he “hopes to make a decision as soon as possible” after returning to Japan and making explanations to the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito. In the summit meeting, Abe and Obama confirmed that all goods will be subject to negotiation for trade liberalization, which implies there is no guarantee that Japan can maintain exceptions for tariff elimination. Anti-TPP campaign has come to a crucial stage.
The joint statement issued after the summit meeting states that “should Japan participate in the TPP negotiations, all goods would be subject to negotiation.” The statement also says, “as the final outcome will be determined during the negotiations, it is not required to make a prior commitment to unilaterally eliminate all tariffs upon joining the TPP negotiations.”
The statement also notes that “both countries have bilateral trade sensitivities, such as certain agricultural products for Japan and certain manufactured products for the United States.”
Concerning the TPP negotiations, LDP made campaign pledges in the Lower House elections, listing 6 conditions for joining the TPP. One of the conditions is that it “is opposed to participation in the TPP negotiations as long as the agreement presupposes the abolition of all tariffs without exception.” In the press conference after meeting with Obama, Abe stressed that the two leaders “made clear that it is not required to make a prior commitment to abolish all tariffs without exceptions.” He said that he “mentioned” the other 5 issues of concern in the summit meeting.
His remarks can be taken as his recognition that joining the TPP negotiations will not go against the campaign pledges, and will inevitably spur protests from farmers, people and lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties who are against Japan’s participation in the TPP talks.
(Feb. 24, 2013)