U.S.-Japan TPP stalemate keeps partners waiting, Chile says

Stubborn people trying to hold onto their monopoly in farm market is ruining Japan's economy as a whole while deflation continues...

OK, thanks for the update. I was unaware of the history of this issue. Lots of emotion here on different sides.

Steven C. SchulzApr. 27, 2014 - 02:30PM JST- I used the most recent nominal GDP figures of each participating nation (less Japan) from the International Monetary Fund, divided by total world GDP.

Thx, i got it, however base on your thought, I think the effective figures should deduct amount of any of the participating nation who trades with nations outside of TPP members(for example, like trading amount between the US and Euro). Thenceforth the effective figures would be far less than 30%. So I believe JP is definitely critical for TPP!

Ratification will be difficult until after the election in November.

Fairy enough, maybe it's safer for JP to discuss TPP with the US after Novermber~

@yosun

Do you have any solid data to support this 30%?

I used the most recent nominal GDP figures of each participating nation (less Japan) from the International Monetary Fund, divided by total world GDP.

President Obama doesn't even persuade many American including Democratic senators/ representatives to support TPP so far, why the US complain JP first?

You raise a fair point. Ratification will be difficult until after the election in November. However there's nothing to ratify yet, nor will there be until the two largest participants reach a standard-setting agreement for the rest of the body.

Interesting. How do you know this? So it is the US that keeps coming back to Japan, saying, "please", please", rather than the other way around?

bruinfan -- I think some of the other posters have adequately repsonded. But, honestly, don't be so lazy. All you have to do is Google back about a year or so when Japan decided to join the talks to know the answer to your question.

Steven C. SchulzApr. 27, 2014 - A TPP excluding Japan would still account for 30% of the world economy

Do you have any solid data to support this 30%? On the other hand, President Obama doesn't even persuade many American including Democratic senators/ representatives to support TPP so far, why the US complain JP first?

Japan should be forced out of the TPP talks as it does not accept the basic principle of zero tariffs.

Why do they keep the TPP terms and conditions SECRET ? Doesn't the public have the right to know the details ?

Except everyone involved wants Japan to sign onto TPP and without Japan TPP will largely be seen as a failure.

The US would prefer to include Japan for geopolitical purposes, but it is by no means the lynchpin. For the other members of the TPP, tariff-free access to North America is the goal; the same access to Japan is just icing on the cake.

A TPP excluding Japan would still account for 30% of the world economy, and connect the Americas with Southeast Asia. I would hardly call that a failure.

Except everyone involved wants Japan to sign onto TPP and without Japan TPP will largely be seen as a failure.

Why? TPP was formed without Japan being considered for membership, Japan jumped in at the last moment and asked to be involved well after the talks had begun. Now it looks like the treaty may become a failure because Japan wants to renegotiate the terms the other parties had already agreed to. If Japan pulls out, the treaty will be concluded as it was originally intended, the only loser will be Japan.

@Jerseyboy,

Interesting. How do you know this? So it is the US that keeps coming back to Japan, saying, "please", please", rather than the other way around?

Except everyone involved wants Japan to sign onto TPP and without Japan TPP will largely be seen as a failure.

MGigante -- nonsense. The TPP nations were fully prepared to do a deal until the U.S. interceded on Japan's behalf -- mainly for political reasons related to China. For most of the smaller countries the U.S. is the big opportunity here, not Japan.

@Steven,

Except everyone involved wants Japan to sign onto TPP and without Japan TPP will largely be seen as a failure.

Just because Japan was invited for the talks doesn't mean the others should bend backwards to satisfy it. Set a signature date and be clear that whomever doesn't sign that day will have to restart negotiations from outside the group.

Between ASEAN and TPP, Japan will have fewer and fewer opportunities to expand its trade relationships. Maybe such an ultimatum will motivate negotiations.