[CTC] NAFTA at 20: The New Spin

[Arthur Stamoulis]

South Korea is also expressing increased interest...

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/03/13/national/japan-expected-to-announce-entry-to-tpp-free-trade-talks-this-week/#.UUCQEKtbBI0

Japan expected to announce entry to TPP free-trade talks this week

Kyodo

Mar 13, 2013
TOKYO/SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to declare  
Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade  
negotiations at a news conference Friday.

A government source on Tuesday confirmed this is the day being  
considered for the announcement. Abe is thought to be hoping to  
present his plan, and gain backing for it, at a general assembly of  
his ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday.

Meanwhile, some of the countries already engaged in TPP discussions in  
Singapore have aired concern over Japan’s search for an exemption to  
scrap all tariffs for certain items, such as farm produce, after it  
joins the talks, a source close to the negotiations said Tuesday.

The LDP panel on the TPP is scheduled Wednesday night to draw up a set  
of demands for joining the trade talks, such as measures to protect  
the politically sensitive agricultural sector.

Some LDP lawmakers have expressed concern about, and opposition to,  
Japan taking part because of the potentially adverse impacts on  
domestic industries and the livelihood of citizens. If the discussions  
get too heated at the LDP panel, the date of announcement may be  
delayed.

After announcing Japan’s participation, the government will likely  
take steps to start the negotiations, including endorsements from the  
United States, Australia and New Zealand. Eleven countries are  
involved in the regional trade iniative.

Japan will unlikely enter into negotiations before June because the  
United States requires at least 90 days to secure congressional  
approval even if the administration endorses Japan’s participation.

In Singapore, meanwhile, the participating countries shared the view  
that they should request that Japan strictly adhere to what has  
already been agreed upon in previous rounds of negotiations, according  
to the source close to the negotiations.

The source said Japan’s participation was formally discussed at the  
meeting and certain countries expressed concern that Tokyo has sounded  
out to some of the 11 TPP member nations over exempting rice and other  
items from tariff elimination. The source said views were expressed at  
the meeting that Japan should enter into talks without setting  
preconditions.

In principle, the TPP calls for the elimination of all tariffs on all  
trade items. In December’s general election, the LDP pledged to oppose  
taking part in the negotiations unless exemptions to tariff  
eliminations are granted.

In his talks with U.S. President Barack Obama in February, Abe  
confirmed that joining the free trade talks will not require a  
commitment to removing all tariffs.

The 11 TPP countries are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia,  
Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

  
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