Abe reaffirms conviction that TPP benefits Asia-Pacific

Maybe he will have to wait for another US administration. Either that or there will be an Asian Trade Deal concocted with China and Japan as the bankers.

Abe urged global policymakers not to view trade as a"zero-sum" game, but instead seek to remove barriers that hamper innovation from crossing borders.

Funny.  The reason that the TPP failed is that Japan refused to remove barriers. Now  Abe's bleating about the other nations opening up their markets to Japan?? Abe's  hypocracy knows no bounds.

translation: Abe reaffirms conviction that (Japan's version of the) TPP benefits Asia-Pacific

The TPP would benefit the very rich. It would benefit Abe and his rich friends and relations. It would not benefit thee and me because thee and me would have to pay for it.

"I don't think TPP is losing momentum,"

Reality is simply lost on this one.

In a sign of hope for Japan, new U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will attend a meeting of trade ministers from the 21 (APEC) countries

He's not going there to discuss TPP revival plans. That ship has sailed. The US usually attends talks with APEC, so this is not a sign of hope at all

If they didn't get it done during the Obama years, it was never going to happen... so Abe and his people may just want to rename it the West Pacific Partnership going forward...

Aly Rustom

Isnt the main reason TPP failed because of Trumps election to president?

If Japan wants the TPP it needs to open up its agricultural market, period. But it won't. What Abe means is that the TPP will still benefit Japan, and they think that if it is ratified (something Japan waited too long on and the sole reason it was not ratified before Obama left office) the US might come back later. They won't. At least not with Trump.

No... Japan can't ask others to open their markets while theirs remain closed.

"We're unwavering in standing ready to continue deploying the three arrows of fiscal, monetary and structural measures" to end deflation, Abe said.

The long lost arrows! I've nearly forgotten about you!

Isnt the main reason TPP failed because of Trumps election to president?

No.  Remember the Democratic primaries?  Both Clinton and Sanders were against it.  It had no chance.  That's why Obama was trying to ram it through, even though he thought Clinton would beat Trump. 

The fact of the matter is, letting japan into the TPP was a mistake.  They turned what was supposed to be a FTA into a complicated 1 sided agreement that benefitted Japan way more than any of the other members.

If Japan wants the TPP it needs to open up its agricultural market, period. But it won't. What Abe means is that the TPP will still benefit Japan, and they think that if it is ratified (something Japan waited too long on and the sole reason it was not ratified before Obama left office) the US might come back later. They won't. At least not with Trump.

No... Japan can't ask others to open their markets while theirs remain closed.

Exactly Smith. Right on the money.

Well I don't agree. Clinton would not have ripped it up.

She was "against it" in certain principals during debates and stuff, but if you remember, the Japanese press were literally saying they hoped Clinton would win for the sake of the TPP.

Clinton would have signed it, she just who'd have tweaked it. Trump said he would dump it in its entirety on Day 1, and he did!

Well I don't agree. Clinton would not have ripped it up.

Fair enough. we agree to disagree.  I personally think no way she would have signed it.  It would have been political suicide.

She was "against it" in certain principals during debates and stuff, but if you remember, the Japanese press were literally saying they hoped Clinton would win for the sake of the TPP.

I also remember Obama trying desperately to ratify the TPP before the election, because he knew she wouldn't be able to sign it. The Japanese press can say what they want.  But they were pro Clinton because the LDP is pro Clinton and pro establishment. Plus Trump bad mouthed japan and was generally a loose canon, which is not something the Japanese want to deal with. 

Clinton would have signed it, she just who'd have tweaked it. Trump said he would dump it in its entirety on Day 1, and he did!

That's pure speculation. Maybe, but I seriously doubt it.  I watched her going back and forth, first with Sanders and then with Trump. 2 anti TPP candidates. She was forced to backtrack on it.  Again, that's why Obama was trying to ram it through.

What Abe said doesn't make any sense.

What Abe said doesn't make any sense.

Par for the course.

As a Japanese I am afraid to say that TPP is unlikely to ever be adopted in Japan. Any positive news you see is just tatemae from the Japanese government to show the world that we support the system so as not to be left behind in any negotiations that may happen.

But in reality I believe that the vast majority of Japanese strongly oppose it. My parents in law are farmers and they are strongly against TPP. All my work colleagues and most people I speak to in my industry do not like TPP either. We wish to protect Japan and our industries.

While i absolutely despise Donald Trump and all he stands for, I must say that when he signed his executive order pulling the US out of the TPP, it was the best thing he has done by far. Any secretive trade deal that gives all the mulitnational companies vast powers to sue other gov'ts if their profits and companies are not protected is a bad deal for all the little people. I agree, allowing Japan to enter negotiations and then bullying its way into not opening its agricultural sector was the biggest mistake they made.

Aly Rustom

Well obviously I don't know and also what is said during campaigning times and post election is obviously pretty hard to stomach sometimes.

In the States what I'm saying is quite well known and accepted. That it would have BEEN A CHALLENGE for her to be able to push through the TPP, however she would have ratified it. That was a goal of the Democratic Party.

I guess I just don't think that Japan being hard nosed about the rice, dairy, and sugar is the main reason why it came crashing down.

Donald Trump is absolutely the elephant in the room when it comes to TPP, and he is mainly responsible, as it would have gone through sans him winning.

I am against TPP because of all the secrets in it. Why does it have to be a secret till after it's signed. Nothing in life works that way except unfair deals

Well obviously I don't know and also what is said during campaigning times and post election is obviously pretty hard to stomach sometimes.

Same here.

In the States what I'm saying is quite well known and accepted. That it would have BEEN A CHALLENGE for her to be able to push through the TPP, however she would have ratified it. That was a goal of the Democratic Party.

Again. We agree to disagree. I don't think that In the States what you're saying is quite well known and accepted. Also I doubt she would have ratified it after all the backpedaling she had to do just to beat Sanders and then again with Trump. She couldn't.  At least I don't think so.

I guess I just don't think that Japan being hard nosed about the rice, dairy, and sugar is the main reason why it came crashing down.

Again. We agree to disagree. The TPP was originally a complete FTA until Japan got on board.  Japan wanted exemptions and exceptions, and when that happened EVERYONE wanted them.  That complicated and slowed down the process. That's just how I see it, and I said this on JT back when Japan started negociations. 

Donald Trump is absolutely the elephant in the room when it comes to TPP, and he is mainly responsible, as it would have gone through sans him winning.

No. He's just one elephant in the herd.  The TPP was dead in the water a long time ago.

I am against TPP because of all the secrets in it. Why does it have to be a secret till after it's signed. Nothing in life works that way except unfair deals

Well good news! We finally agree on that. I'll back you up on that 100%.  Now that we have highlighted our differences, allow me to pick your brains with a question:  Do you think that the TPP will still go through?

Yes, but only the TPP WITHOUT the USA (i.e., Wall Street).

Oh Zeus, get real Abe. Nobody cares what you think, especially China. What a delusion of grandeur this crank has.

It's dead. But to keep trying gives technocrats and politicians years or five star hotels, first class flights around the world, expenses and bloody nice tucker and booze.

Oh Zeus, get real Abe. Nobody cares what you think, especially China. What a delusion of grandeur this crank has.

Yep.

It's dead. But to keep trying gives technocrats and politicians years or five star hotels, first class flights around the world, expenses and bloody nice tucker and booze.

Agree 100% with you, my friend.

Gokai-mate, lets hope you're wrong on this one.  Like Goodlucktoyou said its a bad deal.  They actually wanted to bring SOFA back in through it.  I'm so glad it didn't go through.

Are we really expected to believe this rhetoric? Abe and his cronies have dodged and weaved every step of the way through terms of this agreement. The only thing he is concerned about is how it will effect Japan and which areas of trade they will profit from. It's supposed to be a 'fair trade' agreement, not a 'do it my way' agreement.

Hopefully Abe can use his strong negotiation skills and put forward a deal that benefits the Japanese people. Go Abe-san!