11 countries agree to keep TPP deal alive despite U.S. rejection

The other ten countries have only one hope for TPP, and that is for Japan to pull out. TPP as it is now only benefits Japan, as the other ten countries are all agricultural exporters. These ten countries should tell Japan to get lost, and then rewrite TPP as it was originally drafted. This will benefit these ten countries much more than they will benefit under the current version.

If Japan wants to be part of any free trade agreement, it needs to buy a dictionary and read what the definition of "free trade" really is. Because apparently, Japan believes the "free" part applies only to Japanese goods.

Sangetsu03, I agree with you. I think that the other countries were willing to allow Japan to force its way during the negotiations, all for the chance to sell in the US. That was the big prize. But, now that the US has pulled out, they should force Japan to change its stance or withdraw, because there is nothing in it for anybody, but Japan. As you said, most of the other countries all want to sell agricultural products, and Japan, and JA will not let that happen.

While the TPP had problems the one (potential) after effect of the US pulling out, is that these countries may find themselves in the position of needing to negotiate deals with China which would spread China's influence into more of the area than it already has.

The US should be making an active effort to get these bilateral agreements in place quickly, if it wants to keep China's influence to a minimum.

TPP is still a bad deal for people as it makes corporations able to supersede local governments especially the environment and health. This has nothing to do with trade but with control. This shows me that the countries that still want it are just as controlled by corporations. There's nothing for people here

Despite the short comings that other posters and talked about (and I agree with) overall I'm happy for an increase in competition. Japan has way to many tariffs, protectionism and monopolies, esp. in food. Why do we run out of butter every year? Because farmers make sure it happens. I hate the control JA has over the government, anything to break up these giant scams on the Japanese people is a good thing.

Agree with Sangetsu, MarkX, and gogogo.  Either force Japan to play fair or ask them to leave.  Agricultural protectionism is not the only problem.  Meat and fish are another huge barrier.  Beef in Japan is ridiculously expensive.

Personally, I think they should scrap the TPP altogether.  Remember, this trade deal was negociated in secret and there are alot of sinister things going on in it such as the reintroduction of SOFA.

But gogogo, the TPP agreement did nothing of the sort. It protected the Japanese agriculture industry and allowed them to keep tariffs and duties for a very long time! If it had had the desired effect, I would have been more supportive, but it wasn't. As for favoring corporations over gov'ts, that too was frightening, but since it is such a secretive deal, we still don't really know what it really says, which is another red flag!

I hope this back fires on the US. I am an American and I love America, but I love the world as a whole as well, because I am a "human" first. (Or "Earthling" if that makes more sense...) We as Americans have grown to think we are the best with few rivals. America needs to learn to play well with others and stop demanding so many things, while hardly ever giving anything in return. A little bloody nose will do America some good.

But that is not to say I want China to replace and be the big brother after the US leaves either. Hopefully all countries can work it out on fair and equal terms.

The TPP was never a good thing for the people. It's one of a few things that I feel Trump has gotten right.

Hopefully the countries still talking about it will rework it so it doesn't screw the little people. Because if they do, it's a good thing. More countries need to make more agreements that bypass the US. They have shown themselves to be too volatile to work with, by their vote of Trump. We can't be depending on them as the world economy anymore, we need to forge relationships that go around the US altogether.

A deal that openly states it has secrets that will not be divulged to the people can't really have been good.

However if a better deal is written up that can be a good thing.

But this seems to me to be mainly Japan wanting a trade deal that excludes China.

I seem to remember it was Japan who kept stalling on this agreement when the US wanted it signed. With it now being just a quarter in trade volume it would have been with the US it's a good lesson to those involved not to beat around the bush when you have a good deal in hand. What's that saying...a bird in your hand is worth two in the bush...pun intended!

The TPP was never a good thing for the people. It's one of a few things that I feel Trump has gotten right.

Agreed. Sure, the TPP might have resulted in cheaper produce at your local market, but at what cost. It reminds me of Americans who bemoan bad trade deals and offshoring but shop exclusively at Walmart. Why, well, b/c their prices are lowest. Back when Obama & Clinton were still pushing the TPP, Liz Warren had this to say about the bill's worst provision, how it would allow corporations to undermine US sovereignty, allowing "foreign companies to challenge U.S. laws — and potentially to pick up huge payouts from taxpayers — without ever stepping foot in a U.S. court. Here’s how it would work. Imagine that the United States bans a toxic chemical that is often added to gasoline because of its health and environmental consequences. If a foreign company that makes the toxic chemical opposes the law, it would normally have to challenge it in a U.S. court. But with ISDS, the company could skip the U.S. courts and go before an international panel of arbitrators. If the company won, the ruling couldn’t be challenged in U.S. courts, and the arbitration panel could require American taxpayers to cough up millions — and even billions — of dollars in damages."

And the democrats wonder why they're out of power.

"And the democrats wonder why they're out of power."

Because of the Russians meddling in our voting system?

Toxic chemicals you say? Who allows for lead in paint and other things to be sold to other countries so they can use it and legally sell back to the American people?

The principal backers and beneficiaries were US corporations and other bodies - Big Pharma etc.

Scrap TPP completely. It was designed knowing China would not agree to such a scheme giving the mega-rich power to take Governments to court.

That was really absurd! Those countries were so timid to see what is real!

Nobody cares. The TPP is dead.

The U.S. should have never pulled out of the TPP.  You have more influence inside the camp than outside.  China will take the lead and increase its influence in the area.  TPP like any "Free Trade" agreement would, if implemented properly, create competition and that would lower costs and benefit the consumer.  But, granted, there is always a gap between  theory and practice.  The U.S. excuse for pulling out is that it will cost jobs.  Those jobs will be lost anyway.  The problem is the U.S. does nothing to assist those who lose jobs because of Free Trade agreements.  These people should be educated and trained for jobs in areas where the U.S. has a competitive advantage.

TPP was written by the corporations. That makes it kind of obvious who it's intended to benefit.

TPP perpetuates the existing models of agreements to put all wealth into more industrial centres of countries, not people nor deal with the inequity of people, not the environment (y'know climate change? Remember that?) or healthcare in ageing populations. Like all our faceless agreements it would keep driving up inequity in each country and both growth and wages will remain stagnate as the best case scenario, more likely drop standards of living. Also the state will have fewer dollars to support their own people due to lawsuits lost at corporate tribunals. Thus corportizing nations. Even with the USA out, the TPP is still a sellout from the public to the private sector and can only ruin those undersigned