[CTC] U.S. urged Japan to refer to bilateral FTA in Abe-Trump joint statement: sources

[Arthur Stamoulis]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/15/business/u-s-urged-japan-refer-bilateral-fta-abe-trump-joint-statement-sources/#.WKOI2fIwCZg <http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/15/business/u-s-urged-japan-refer-bilateral-fta-abe-trump-joint-statement-sources/#.WKOI2fIwCZg>
U.S. urged Japan to refer to bilateral FTA in Abe-Trump joint statement: sources

Kyodo

Feb 15, 2017
In drafting a joint statement for release after the summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, Washington had urged Tokyo to refer to signing a bilateral free trade agreement, sources close to bilateral ties said Tuesday.

As Japan showed reluctance, the joint statement was actually released with the phrase, “discussions between the United States and Japan on a bilateral framework,” stopping short of the two countries’ pledge to aim to conclude a bilateral free trade agreement, as initially requested by the U.S. government, the sources said.

It is the first time a specific demand by the Trump administration surfaced regarding a bilateral free trade pact, which has been recently debated as a possibility since the United States withdrew from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal last month.

At the time, Trump said he prefers bilateral trade deals to multilateral pacts like the TPP. Although chances for enforcement of the current form of TPP are slim, Abe has been strongly pushing for it.

Japanese officials told reporters that Trump “made no concrete requests regarding an FTA” following the first official summit between Abe and Trump in Washington.

Analysts predict that, compared with trade negotiations involving multiple nations, Japan may find itself facing tougher demands from the United States in bilateral talks.

It is uncertain how far Japan can protect its agricultural sector if the bilateral economic talks with the United States develop into trade negotiations for concluding a free trade agreement.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as finance minister, are set to oversee a bilateral economic dialogue that Abe and Trump agreed to set up to promote discussions on ways to expand trade and investment.

In a Diet panel meeting on Tuesday, Abe did not rule out negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement with the United States, saying, “I’m not afraid of an FTA. It will be good if it contributes to national interests. If it does not, it’s clear Japan will not proceed with negotiations (on such a pact).”
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