TOKYO, June 30 — Japan’s the most powerful farmers’ co-operative chairman has called for helping farmers deal with the impact of the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the TPP-11.
On June 29, the parliament passed trade bills required to ratify the TPP-11, after the United States pulled out.
“We will press the government hard so that farmers are better able to deal with the problems caused by the market opening,” said Toru Nakaya, chairman of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-ZENCHU).
“We will also closely watch agricultural imports and their impacts on farm businesses,” he added.
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.