The Kan administration is facing head winds in pushing the idea of joining negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership as concerns spread among the public that participation in the free-trade pact would adversely affect not only the farm sector but other, wide-reaching areas as well.

To whip up opposition to joining the TPP, which is aimed at opening up trade in high-end goods and services among other changes, critics insist the pact may lead to a flood of unskilled foreign laborers, unsafe food and a drop in the quality of medical services.

The administration is trying to play down such concerns, some of which it says are not based on accurate information, and is working on a paper outlining how it expects the TPP negotiations in areas other than tariffs would proceed.