TOKYO, June 23 — Japan welcomes more countries have expressed an interest in joining the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the TPP-11, Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has said.
At a June 22 press conference, Motegi said that Colombia has informed New Zealand, the depository of the trade pact, of its intention to join the TPP-11 once it comes into force.
“I welcome more countries are interested in joining the TPP-11,” Motegi told reporters.
TPP-11’s chief negotiators will gather in the mid-July in Hakone, a lake resort near Tokyo. Japan will chair the meeting and it is expected to discuss the procedure on how to add more members to the pace once it comes into effect.
So far, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and some other countries are also interested in joining the TPP-11.
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.
With Mexico completing to ratify the deal in April, Japan will likely become the second country late July. New Zealand, Australia and other countries are also pushing ahead with legislation to bring the pact into force as early as this year.