First trade talks with US on TPP slated for mid-January
Japan Times | Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010
First trade talks with U.S. on TPP slated for mid-January
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) — Japan and the U.S. are making preparations to hold bilateral talks in Washington in mid-January on Tokyo’s possible participation in negotiations for an expanded trans-Pacific free-trade pact, sources said Wednesday.
The U.S. may present conditions for Japan’s participation after confirming Tokyo’s intention to join negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the sources said.
The TPP negotiations currently involve nine countries — the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. A country wishing to join the negotiations needs to secure the consent of all nine countries through bilateral talks.
Japan decided in November to begin consultations with the nine countries to learn more about the TPP and has already held talks with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. If talks with the United States are held, preparations for Japan’s participation will get fully under way, the sources said.
Japan and the United States had planned to hold bilateral talks this autumn but they were postponed. Negotiators from the two governments are making arrangements to hold the talks between Jan. 12 and 14. They will be attended by senior officials from the Foreign, trade and farm ministries and those from the U.S. Trade Representative Office, according to the sources.
Washington welcomes Tokyo’s participation in the TPP talks, expecting an increase in U.S. exports to Japan.
