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Japan

Sri Lanka, Japan to link FTA this year
20-Apr-2015 Colombo Page
Sri Lanka and Japan plan to formulate and sign a Free Trade Agreement in 2015, the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Co-operation Committee has announced.
Japan to reduce Thai rice purchases under TPP
15-Apr-2015 Bloomberg
Japan plans to reduce rice purchases from Thailand and import more from the United States if a trans-Pacific trade pact led by the two countries goes through.
Japan, US aim for Pacific trade pact progress before summit
13-Apr-2015 Reuters
Japanese and US officials meet this week in a bid to strike a two-way deal giving momentum to the Trans-Pacific Partnership
JPEPA: Keep existing fiscal perks, Japan firms urge gov’t
7-Apr-2015 PDI
The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines will appeal to the government anew to retain the existing fiscal incentive regime in an upcoming meeting under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa).
Rules of origin TPP dispute blocking Japan-US auto deal
3-Apr-2015 Japan Times
Rules of origin for automobile parts have emerged as a key stumbling block in Japan-US auto trade talks held as part of efforts to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, according to informed sources.
Japan-New Zealand TPP talks making slow progress: Amari
25-Mar-2015 Japan Times
The two countries are at odds over market access for dairy products. While New Zealand seeks to increase its exports of cheese, butter and milk among other goods, Japan says such products are off-limits.
Japan pork group proposes halving tariffs for TPP agreement
19-Mar-2015 Bloomberg
Japan, the world’s largest pork importer, can accept a 50 percent reduction in import tariffs to help pave the way for the nation to reach an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a producer group said.
EU-Japan 9th round of trade talks further consolidates negotiation texts
3-Mar-2015 European Commission
The 9th round of EU-Japan FTA talks took place from 23-27 February in Brussels. The meetings focused on further consolidation of the negotiating texts.
Shinzo Abe loses ally in TPP trade deal
24-Feb-2015 Financial Times
Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, has lost an important ally on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal after his agriculture minster resigned in a scandal over political donations.
S. Korea, China expected to initial free trade deal next week: official
22-Feb-2015 Arirang
A high-level trade ministry official in Seoul says the two sides have reached agreement on a number of previously unresolved technical issues during closed-door talks.
TPP chief negotiators to meet in mid-March in Hawaii
20-Feb-2015 Japan Times
The 12 countries involved in a proposed Pacific-Rim free trade initiative will convene a chief negotiators’ meeting in mid-March in Hawaii, sources close to the matter said on Friday, as they scramble to secure a deal by the end of this spring.
Sugar industry gave donation to agricultural minister ahead of TPP talks
17-Feb-2015 Mainichi Japan
Japanese Minister of Agriculture Koya Nishikawa faces a fresh donation scandal after a Liberal Democratic Party chapter he heads was found to have received 1 million yen in donation from a sugar industry group right before Japan joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks in 2013.
Tariffs, other hurdles still remain in TPP talks, government official says
17-Feb-2015 Japan Times
Japan and the United States remain divided over tariffs and issues such as intellectual property rights in their negotiations on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to a Japanese government official.
US appeals to Japanese business to help push for trade pact
13-Feb-2015 AP
Japan and the US are moving closer to reaching agreement on market opening measures needed to conclude a Pacific Rim trade pact, a top US envoy said Friday, urging Japanese business leaders to help bridge the last, difficult disagreements.
DNP+ response to RCEP negotiations on Intellectual Property ongoing in Thailand
11-Feb-2015 DNP+
Japan is pushing for intellectual property rules in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that will undermine and delay access to affordable generic medecine in Asia.
Japan, Mongolia ink trade pact that may increase car exports
10-Feb-2015 AP
Japan and Mongolia signed a free trade agreement Tuesday that is expected to open the landlocked frontier market to more Japanese auto exports and strengthen Tokyo’s leverage with a key partner in its dealings with North Korea.
Signing of the Japan-Ukraine Investment Agreement
6-Feb-2015 METI/MOFA
Tokyo announces the signing of a bilateral investment treaty with Kiev, which it highlights as opening Ukraine farmland and mineral resources to Japanese investors.
Tokyo offers to cut tariffs on US pork in TPP talks, sources say
3-Feb-2015 Kyodo
The Abe administration has proposed sharply cutting Japan’s tariff on a certain amount of US pork over a 10-year period in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to sources.
US, Japan trade negotiators close to striking key deal
28-Jan-2015 VoA
It is obvious a breakthrough is imminent, according to veteran Asia trade talks watcher Chris Nelson, senior vice president of Samuels International Associates.
Japan agrees to RI proposal to review partnership deal
28-Jan-2015 Jakarta Post
In a much anticipated move, Japan has given a nod to Indonesia’s proposal to review an economic partnership agreement to further step up bilateral economic relations.