Office of the United States Trade Representative notified Congress of its intent to allow Japan to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. USTR, however, emphasized the point that Japan promised it will subject all goods – including agricultural products — to negotiation. There is no guarantee at all on whether Japan can protect key agricultural products from tariff elimination. The U.S. also demanded that Japan address non-tariff measures such as food safety regulations in parallel with the TPP negotiations. The Japanese government should withdraw from the negotiations if it cannot protect the Japanese people’s lives and the rural community. In its notification letter to Congress, USTR stressed that Japan … Continue reading →

  Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks is going to come true in July. With the backing of approval by 11 Pacific Rim nations involved in the talks, the United States government was expected to seek congressional approval for the country to formally allow Japan in to the talks. As the Japanese government rushed to receive consent from the TPP participants for Japan to join the talks, it has made significant concessions in the preparatory negotiations. It was also asked by the U.S. to improve non-tariff measures in line with the TPP negotiations. This practically means negotiations will become like those for a bilateral free trade agreement. This … Continue reading →