- Negotiations
Australia and Japan began FTA negotiations in April 2007 after clearing a joint feasibility study (and signing a joint plan for military cooperation). As of April 2012, 15 rounds of talks had been held.
The deal is supposed to be a comprehensive one, but there are serious differences over agriculture, automobiles and energy. Japan has been trying to exclude sensitive farm products — including beef, sugar, dairy, wheat and barley — from the scope of the deal to protect its farmers. Australia, however, wants the preferential market access for farm products beyond what was agreed at WTO. Meanwhile, Japanese farmers and consumers, with full support from groups in Australia, have been mobilising to ensure that any Japan-Australia FTA provides safeguards against GM foods, particularly canola and beef. In effect, since 2007 Australia states have been reneging on their previous GM-free policies and Japanese consumers rely on few sources for GM-free foods like canola oil. Many analysts have viewed the conclusion of this deal as a prerequisite for Japan to enter into Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.
last update: May 2012
Photo: spDuchamp/CC BY 2.0
24-Apr-2012
Japan and Australia kicked off five days of talks in Canberra Monday on sealing a free-trade agreement as persistent differences remained on agricultural products.
20-Feb-2012
Japan Times
A four-day meeting between Japan and Australia on reaching a bilateral free-trade agreement ended Friday in Tokyo, with officials saying the two sides addressed a wide range of areas, including agricultural products, automobiles and energy.
9-Sep-2011
Mainichi
Japan’s new Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd agreed Thursday that the two countries will work toward restarting talks on a bilateral free trade agreement
23-Apr-2011
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stressed Thursday in Tokyo the importance of concluding a free trade agreement between the country and Japan, while vowing to remain a reliable supplier of natural resources to the quake-hit nation.
9-Feb-2011
Mainichi
"Essentially, a deal with Australia is a prerequisite for participation in the TPP, making this a do-or-die moment for the Japanese administration," says the Mainchi Daily News
8-Feb-2011
Arirang
Japan and Australia resumed talks on Monday on their proposed Economic Partnership Agreement, or preferred trade arrangement, after they fell apart ten months ago.
24-Nov-2010
AP
Japan and Australia on Tuesday agreed to make a "fresh start" on stalled negotiations for a free trade deal after the Japanese government embraced a less protectionist trade policy this month.
10-Jun-2010
ABC Rural
Masahiko Yamada, Japan’s new agriculture minister, has blogged about how the Australian free trade agreement would destroy Japanese agriculture. Australian farm industry leaders are in Tokyo trying to change his mind.
9-Jun-2010
Japan’s new Prime Minister has installed an eccentric arch protectionist and former beef and pork farmer in the agriculture and fisheries portfolio, dealing a blow to Australia’s hopes of finalising a free trade agreement.
16-Dec-2009
Big Pond News
Australia should not agree to a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan unless the Asian nation stops whaling in the Southern Ocean, the Australian Greens say.