Japan: Abe wavering over participation in TPP talks

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is facing challenges in handling the issue of Japan's participation in the talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade framework.

While Abe hopes to express willingness to take part in the talks during a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama set for late this month, he is still wavering on the issue due to strong opposition from within his own Liberal Democratic Party.

In response to an interpellation at the House of Representatives Thursday, Abe said he has not yet determined when a decision will be reached, revising his earlier stance.

Two days earlier, while appearing on an NTV television program, Abe said he wanted to indicate the direction of his government's stance ahead of the House of Councillors election this summer.

"Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is said to have been well-regarded in Washington because he tried to move forward with TPP participation," a close aide of Abe said. "So Abe wants to show his willingness to push Japan's bid for TPP participation, but he is still wavering over the issue."

U.S.-led TPP negotiations involve 11 countries, including Australia and Singapore. They aim to conclude an agreement sometime before the end of this year.

The United States has a law requiring 90 days of congressional deliberations for approval whenever it holds international trade negotiations.

Therefore, if Japan seeks to join the talks before they are concluded at a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum set for October as targeted by the United States and other countries, the upcoming Japan-U.S. summit is "the last chance" for Japan to announce its decision, a Foreign Ministry official said.

A strong backlash, however, is expected from some LDP members who are concerned the party will lose votes from agriculture-related sectors if Abe announces Japan's bid to join the talks.

In response to an opposition interpellation in the lower house's plenary session Thursday, Abe said the summit's discussion agenda would be arranged in future bilateral negotiations. "But as mentioned in our campaign platform, we won't join the talks as long as [the TPP framework] is premised on abolishing tariffs without exceptions," Abe added.

Abe made the statement out of consideration for anti-TPP sentiment within the LDP, observers said.

Within the government, there have been moves to elicit an assurance from the White House that it will approve exceptions to a list of trade items subject to tariff abolition, thereby laying down favorable political conditions for Japan's participation in the talks.

Akira Amari, state minister for economic revitalization, said in a Jan. 14 TV program: "Even America won't concede when it comes to sugar [tariffs]. If the possibility opens up for all participating countries to accept what cannot be conceded, it will lead to [Japan's] participation in the talks."

But as there is no guarantee that Obama will make a concession to Japan--a move feared to draw a domestic backlash--no compromise has been reached.

February 3, 2013

Source: Yomiuri Japan