If any one TPP member country is allowed to claim exceptions for perceived sensitive products then other TPP partners will inevitably demand the right to do the same.

And this is why 'free' trade agreements are anything but. The cattlemen have a point though - beef in Japan is disgustingly expensive and of much poorer quality than that from Canada and Australia. Don't know about US beef, prefer to chow down on the the best.

Way to go guys! Japan needs to get its act together and negotiate the removal of ALL tariffs especially rice. If Japan doesn't want to play by the rules, it should be expelled from the TPP negotiations.

The theory is sound, but what actually happens behind closed doors negotiations is another issue.

Man, it would be an AWESOME miracle if they simply got rid of tariffs on EVERYTHING...sadly, that'll never happen..