[CTC] USTR NEWS: Acting U.S. Trade Representative Marantis and Acting Labor Secretary Harris Announce Groundbreaking Labor Rights Enforcement Agreement with Guatemala

[Dolan Mike]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/04/12/business/upshot-of-tpp-prep-talks-with-u-s-to-be-aired/#.UWek0RwYJM8

BUSINESS / ECONOMY
Two sides in sync on key issues
Upshot of TPP prep talks with U.S. to be aired
KYODO
APR 12, 2013
ARTICLE HISTORY
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The government is planning to announce Friday the results of its  
preliminary negotiations with the United States on Japan joining the  
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks, sources said Thursday.
With the two sides already in agreement on key issues, including auto  
tariffs, U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to seek congressional  
approval for Japan’s participation in the Pacific Rim free-trade  
talks. As Congress needs 90 days to give its approval, the earliest  
Japan could join the multilateral trade negotiations is expected to be  
July.
Japan expressed its commitment last month to join the talks and is  
waiting for approval by the 11 current members, of which Australia,  
Canada and New Zealand have yet to give the green light, while Peru,  
which expressed its support last year, is in the final stage of  
procedures to give its official consent.
During the preparatory talks with Washington, Japanese officials  
decided to allow the U.S. to retain its tariffs on vehicle imports  
from Japan. The U.S. at present imposes a 2.5 percent levy on Japanese  
automobile imports and a 25 percent tariff for trucks.
Opposition to the TPP in Japan, however, remains strong. On Wednesday,  
a group of university professors urged the government not to take part  
in the TPP negotiations, arguing it may not be able to protect the  
national interests.
The group submitted to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as well as farm  
minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, a petition against Japan’s participation  
in the talks signed by more than 800 members of the domestic academic  
community.
Satoshi Daigo, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, and  
Keio University’s Masaru Kaneko said Japan’s planned participation in  
the TPP framework may not only harm farming but also alter the medical  
system and food safety standards.
Canada FTA talks on

Japan and Canada will hold their second bilateral free-trade talks  
April 22-26 in Ottawa, the government said Thursday in Tokyo.
The government said it will send its top negotiator, Jun Yokota,  
ambassador in charge of economic diplomacy at the Foreign Ministry, to  
the meeting to be attended by Ian Burney, assistant deputy minister  
for trade policy and negotiations at Canada’s Department of Foreign  
Affairs and International Trade, among other officials.
The two countries held the first round in Tokyo in November.
According to the Finance Ministry, Japan’s exports to Canada in 2012  
came to ¥818.90 billion worth of goods, including automobiles and  
machinery, while imported Canadian goods stood at ¥1.01 trillion,  
including coal, rapeseed and nonferrous metals.
Through the envisioned FTA, Japan hopes to increase its export of  
autos and machinery products through the elimination of tariffs, while  
securing a stable supply of natural resources from Canada.
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