[CTC] Japan: Tense Times Over Trade

[Arthur Stamoulis]

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2013/03/12/tense-times-over-trade/?KEYWORDS=trade

Tense Times Over Trade
By Yuka Hayashi

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is racing to announce his government’s  
decision to join the negotiations to launch the Trans-Pacific  
Partnership, an emerging regional free-trade agreement. Participation  
in the U.S.-led trade pact is a hallmark of Mr. Abe’s growth strategy,  
but he continues to face strong opposition from farmers fearing  
painful market-opening steps – and many politicians within his own  
party who rely on their votes.


Screen shot from the Fuji News Newtwork website
Hidehisa Otsuji, right, anti -Trans Pacific Partnership politician of  
the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Koya Nishikawa, chairman of  
the party’s TPP committee, exchanged verbal punches during a  
discussion over TPP on March 11.
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Mr. Abe should be worried.

Just two days before his Liberal Democratic Party is set to deliver a  
verdict on the trade pact, two key members of the party were so riled  
up that they had a screaming match in front of TV cameras, a scene  
that was broadcast prominently on national television Tuesday.
Even JRT readers who don’t understand Japanese can get the flavor of  
the battle.

The actors of the very public display of emotion were Hidehisa Otsuji,  
an LDP member opposing the TPP, and Koya Nishikawa, a senior lawmaker  
who heads a special party committee on the TPP.

“Any problem?” yelled Mr. Otsuji.

“What do you want?” countered Mr. Nishikawa, who stood up from his  
seat to face Mr. Otsuji.

“What?” yelled Mr. Otsuji

“What are you saying?” Mr. Nishikawa yelled back.

Their faces are only inches apart, and their chests are almost touching.

“What do you mean what?” says Mr. Otsuji.

“Don’t be so bossy,” Mr. Nishikawa says.

“You are the one who’s bossy,” Mr. Otsuji counters.

“You be quiet,” says Mr. Nishikawa.

“You are the one who’s yelling,” Mr. Otsuji points out.



http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2013/03/12/tense-times-over-trade/?KEYWORDS=trade
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