Japan to sign FTA with Switzerland
United Press International - 20 Feb 2005
Japan to sign FTA with Switzerland
[World News]: TOKYO, Feb. 20 : A Japanese newspaper has said the country will soon sign a free trade agreement with Switzerland.
The Yomiuri Shimbun said that a bilateral pact should be reached by April. If it does go through, then it will be the first time Japan will sign a free trade agreement with a European nation.
An FTA with Switzerland would allow Japan to strengthen its position to fight back pressure to open up its agricultural market, the Yomiuri concluded. Both two countries are major food importers, and both have been lobbying hard to be able to protect their farmers in order to ensure that they are not totally dependent on food imports.
