Japan, New Zealand to jointly aim for expanded TPP

Abe and Ardern confirmed at their summit in Tokyo that they hope to wrap up by year's end, negotiations to create what would be the world's largest free-trade zone, with more than 3.5 billion people under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Free trade, it baffles me they say it with a straight face.

Still waiting for beef prices to drop and to be able to purchase foreign butter. Looks like it is going to be a long wait.

Free trade. I don't see that happening during my lifetime.

Why 9 -for both- though?

Dunno but I'm thinking maybe September? Just a guess.

Jacinda Ardern awkwardly mixes up China and Japan

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/09/jacinda-ardern-awkwardly-mixes-up-china-and-japan.html

Jetlag? LOL!

Abe's words at the end of this item disgust me. What a hypocrite about women and work. What ever happened to that city councillor who was screamed at by those old farts for bringing her baby to a council meeting? What did Abe say about that? The man is a cretin.

best post I've read today.

Who cares about the rugby shirts?! Abe's words at the end of this item disgust me. What a hypocrite about women and work. What ever happened to that city councillor who was screamed at by those old farts for bringing her baby to a council meeting? What did Abe say about that? The man is a cretin.

I am seeing NZ butter at Seiyu regularly now at the same price as Hokkaido butter, along with some great Angus beef at good prices.

Unfortunately Seiyu is not a major supermarket chain like Aeon, their presence here in the kansai area is thin. The angus beef might seem cheap to you if you are using Japanese beef as your yardstick rather than comparing the price at the home country.

Why 9 -for both- though? I get that 3 - Jacinda & 5 - Shinzo jerseys would have been inappropriate/too much of a piss-take (albeit pretty funny) but anything from 6 to 15 would have been fine. Interesting!

Number 9  (ku) is real unlucky in Japan. It represents pain and suffering, and should be avoided. Who chose these numbers for the rugby shirts?

What a wasted time in the past 5 years ! Had Abe joined RCEP long ago, the world and Japan would be very different now. Quite honestly, Japan lost more than $trillions minimally.