- Negotiations
The Japanese and Thai governments started exploring a possible bilateral FTA in 2001-2002, but official negotiations didn’t start until February 2004. They concluded their talks in April 2007 and the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) came into force on 1 November 2007.
The FTA is comprehensive, covering trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, agriculture, competition policy, etc.
It was strongly opposed by social movements both in Thailand and Japan. Thai groups mobilised against the FTA’s provisions on patenting life forms, toxic wastes and investment. One special concern was that the Japanese would take advantage of the deal not to ship Thai healthworkers to Japan (as under Japan’s FTAs with the Philippines and Indonesia) but to operate an exclusive health facility in Thailand, for Japanese people, who would be flown in to avail of the best medical personnel Thailand has to offer — who would then be unavailable to treat poorer Thai citizens. A major row also erupted around the legalities of Thailand’s interim military regime pushing through the ratification and entry into force of the deal during their hold on the country after the September 2006 coup. Japanese groups mobilised particularly on the potential of the deal to increase Japan’s exports of toxic waste to Thailand.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Paul the Seeker / CC BY 2.0
24-Mar-2005
Asahi Shimbun
Japan and Thailand are expected to reach basic agreement as early as next week on agricultural, forestry and fishery products, moving closer to the conclusion of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
14-Feb-2005
Japan Times
The Japanese government is considering allowing in more Thai workers by relaxing employment conditions for cooks, masseurs and caregivers under a proposed free-trade agreement.
11-Feb-2005
Jakarta Post
Indonesia risks losing up to US$5 billion in non-oil and gas exports to Japan per year, should Thailand succeed in ongoing negotiations with Asia’s largest economy for a free trade agreement.
10-Dec-2004
AAN
The Japanese government has urged Thailand to lift tariffs on car imports as part of its efforts to conclude a free trade agreement. At the same time, Japanese automakers, whose affiliated firms take up most of the Thai auto market, are cautious about the FTA because it could cause fierce competition between the same Japanese car models.
11-Nov-2004
Kyodo
Trade negotiators from Japan and Thailand resumed free-trade talks Monday after Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra decided to withdraw rice from the negotiating table.
11-Nov-2004
The Nation
Chicken farmers from Japan have descended on Bangkok this week to lobby for the withdrawal of poultry products from free-trade talks, following the success of Japanese farmers in getting Thailand to drop rice.
12-Oct-2004
Reuters
Japan and Thailand have agreed to leave out rice from a planned bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), a breakthrough that could see a deal agreed by the end of the year, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said yesterday.
16-Sep-2004
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he has asked the Japanese government to help develop a Thai-Japan free trade area (FTA) agreement with Thailand agreeing to Japan’s plan to set rice and beef as sensitive products categories.
13-Sep-2004
Japan and Thailand launched a fourth round of talks on Monday toward signing a free trade agreement that would tear down economic barriers between the two countries.
3-Sep-2004
The Nation
Free-trade talks with the Japanese have stalled after Tokyo complained about Thailand’s reluctance to open its markets to Japanese cars, car parts and metals.