politics

Japan, fresh from Australia pact, says U.S. trade talks difficult

14 Comments
By Elaine Lies and Linda Sieg

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14 Comments
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Americans are still waiting for tons of jobs that NAFTA promised.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

TPP is as doomed as Abe's economic "reforms."

Forget it!

Any deal conducted in strict secrecy that gives the right to huge corporations like Philip Morris and Monsanto to SUE a member GOVERNMENT has got to be flawed.

It's US centric and the US isn't even a neighbour of Japan.

A trade partnership with South Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc., would make much more sense.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Some in Tokyo hope the Australian compromise will give them ammunition against U.S. demands to eliminate tariffs on politically sensitive farm products.

Australia's agricultural sector does not compete with Japan's due to seasonal reasons, and thus Japan is rather more welcoming of its imports. An example of this is apples, which mature in October in Japan but March in Australia. Thus, neither Australian nor New Zealand apples have ever been excluded from the Japanese market due to some or other claim such as 'fire blight' (kashobyo in Japanese), while American apples commonly are despite the absence of any scientific data showing that fire blight can be transmitted by apples themselves rather than only on infected trees.

The TPP is a complicated situation, but Japan should not feel that a simple agreement with Australia will allow them to shirk other responsibilities if they want to play on even ground in the wider world.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

No surprise. Japan wants their cake and eat it too. Too many long established vested interests. As the third largest economy with so many multinationals it's a shame as their is so much potential. Apparently tradition in Japan means no change.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

I cannot understand why the late comer USA is allowed to dictate to the founding members, when you join a group surely you assimilate, the group should not have to capitulate to the late comers demands.

Big corporations should have no say in the mechanics of any deals to do with TPP.

If the USA is trying to dictate terms because of big business interest groups then kick it into touch, don't let it join, stay with nations who are willing to be flexible for the mutual benefit of the whole group.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has touted the multilateral framework as a key part of his growth strategy,

The United States wants Japan to open its rice, beef and pork, dairy and sugar sectors - politically powerful sectors that Abe has vowed to defend.

So, in other words, Abe is being the usual J-politican hypocrite. You can't on the one hand say that the TPP is a "key part of his growth strategy", but then say he will defend ludicrously high tariffs on agriculture on the other. The goal of the TPP is to eliminare all tariffs, and Abe knew this going in. I think he is reading Obama wrong, at least I hope he is, if he thinks he'll cave like Abbott did.

.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Americans are still waiting for tons of jobs that NAFTA promised.

They did come, but they all went to mexico.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's US centric and the US isn't even a neighbour of Japan.

Depends on your definition of what a neighbor is.

A trade partnership with South Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc., would make much more sense.

Actually, it wouldn't. As U.S. and China more likely as the biggest trading partner.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well, here's hoping that the LDP maintains its promise to create a sanctuary for the national health-care system and maintain some tariffs on certain goods. Structural reform through TPP is fine, but you can't throw the farming sector to the wolves like that without some sort of heads-up. Hope to see Japan reject of the indefinite intellectual property patent BS the US is trying to push on everyone, too.

Also, let's hope the negotiators manage to keep Japan away from the ISDS (independent-state-dispute-settlement) clause which would allow multi-national corporations to sue the government for making regulatory laws.

Honestly, I don't see a TPP as completely bad if it were only an economic cooperation, thing...but damn, some of what I heard...just makes me scared for Japan.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

StormR,

It was Japan who was the late comer to TPP.

The yanks should hold firm with Japan & if Japan offers nothing, which is what it is doing now then Japan should be tossed from the TPP, no more screwing around. Then if Japan wants in IT needs to make serious offers regarding agriculture otherwise stick tot he sidelines.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

GW

There were a group of nations who originally started the TPP then the USA fairly recently decided it wanted to join, subsequently started throwing its weight around ( as we all know it does ) Japan harmed and harred about joining, the US and Japan are both late comers but seem to think everything revolves around them. NZ and the others should just move on with out these too self centered countries.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

With the Obama administration America always gets the short end of any deal and it will include this also.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

sangetsu America has many barriers that need to be over come in case you think this is just a one sided deal.

It is not just a one way street here, the article even mentions the tariffs on Japanese cars and light trucks being a hurdle.

Japan wanted to join after the US but things were moving along fine with cooperating nations up till the US arrived on the scene, so the late comers comment refers to the US and the Japanese both being " late comers"

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

There were a group of nations who originally started the TPP then the USA fairly recently decided it wanted to join, subsequently started throwing its weight around ( as we all know it does ) Japan harmed and harred about joining, the US and Japan are both late comers but seem to think everything revolves around them. NZ and the others should just move on with out these too self centered countries.

Who arrived later? The US or Japan?

America would like to complete the treaty quickly as well, the goal was to have had it completed last year. The Obama administration is tepid only about Japan, neither of the political parties wants Japan in the treaty because of Japan's erecting hidden barriers to get around past agreements.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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