Japan, Australia to meet on trade deal
The Age, Melbourne
Japan, Australia to meet on trade deal
19 September 2006
AAP. Japan and Australia will hold a three-day meeting in Tokyo to study the feasibility of a bilateral free trade agreement, Japanese officials said.
The meeting starts on Wednesday and will focus on farm trade and the issue of stable food supply.
It will be the fifth meeting of its kind since the countries established the feasibility study panel last November.
The panel aims to issue a final report by the end of the year, earlier than originally scheduled, the officials said.
Japan’s farm sector is reluctant to sign an FTA with Australia because it is a major exporter of beef, wheat and dairy products.
Signing a free trade pact with the country could hurt local farmers.
But Japanese industry groups favour an FTA with Australia, which supplies resources vital to Japan such as coal, iron ore and natural gas.
