Japan hosts TPP Pacific Rim trade pact talks, minus the US

Abe is going to use this agreement as well to bolster his desired appearance of strength and stability to the Japanese people and show himself to be a hard bargainer and doing what's right for Japan.

Deflect, obfuscate and change the subject....."Oh those scandals don't count! I'm doing what's right for the entire country, gimmie a break and shut up" he will infer and tell reporters investigating and questioning him on the scandals.

Do it! Japan needs competition to actually compete in international markets.

Better Australia and New Zealand to trade meat (beef and lamb) and tacos from Mexico than junk food from USA.

Yubara,

You do realise that there are other people involved in the running of the government, and it is not all a one man show? I've never understood the fixation on one man.

It's going to be great.

Having manage to get rid of the European colonialist in Asia during and immediately after WWII, finally a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere will be able to arise, with the last white colonist (the USA) on the outside periphery of it.

Of course, an Asia united and combined would have the power to destroy the USA economically several times over, especially given the size of both Chinese and Japanese holdings in the USA, and the successful destruction of the US manufacturing base.

Hence the USA having to maintain its protection racket in the region. The threat of violence, both economic and military, being its only leverage point.

God knows how the Americans were so dumb as to elect somelike Trump. He and his cronies are going to be the destruction of the USA.

Apart from the nukes and monopoly on military aviation hardware, what exactly has the US to offer Asia that Asia really needs any more anyway?

As soon as they start building 'Pan-Asian' fighters, we'll know the axis of power has changed.

Great news! This will be huge if it can be pulled off and am surprised and heartened that Japan is leading the deal

Just one more case of the world negotiating trade agreements that bypass the US altogether.

The election of Trump triggered the decline of US relevancy.

Unfortunately, even if/when a new president is elected after Trump, their relevance isn't likely to return. Electing him exposed the fact that their system allows their morons to elect a supreme moron. No one can trust them anymore now that that flaw has been exposed.

@Strangerland: exactly my thoughts. Germany, China, Russia - and Japan to a lesser degree - will take the role that once belonged to US.

More money on 5 star hotels, restaurants and security. Why don't they video conference and quickly Finnish off Japan's rural communities?

God knows how the Americans were so dumb as to elect somelike Trump. He and his cronies are going to be the destruction of the USA.

To be fair; a lot of people didn't vote for Trump. And their voice is being heard.

The Trump administration has decided to isolate the US further, which is not necessarily a good thing. When nations become isolated, they lose touch with reality. The DPRK, for example...

Better Australia and New Zealand to trade meat (beef and lamb) and tacos from Mexico than junk food from USA.

Australia already has a Free Trade Agreement with the USA since 2004

There's too much protectionism in Japan and Canada for this meeting to be productive in any way. It's just a three-day holiday for the representatives of each of the countries involved.