TOKYO, June 14 — Japan’s upper house has approved the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the TPP-11, despite opposition efforts to threaten the smooth ratification process.
In order to complete the ratification process, the governing coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito Party still needs to pass the TPP-11 related bills, including measures to compensate farmers.
But the opposition parties are demanding good deliberations over the related bills, arguing potential adverse affects of the TPP-11 on farmers if the agreement is implemented.
The Abe Administration desperately wants to pass the TPP-11 and related bills in the current parliamentary session that ends on June 20, a move Tokyo hopes would spur other 10 countries to hurry as well.
The TPP-11 deal will enter into force 60 days after six of the 11 countries ratify the deal, a process that involves amending their respective domestic laws.
Japan, Australia and New Zealand are pushing ahead with legislation to bring the TPP-11 into force, as Mexico completed the ratification process in April.