Japan will join the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda officially announced Friday night, a day after he delayed making an declaration on the country's stance on the free-trade initiative.
"We decided to join negotiations with member states over the TPP," Noda said at a news conference after meeting with his Cabinet members. "Japan should tap into the growing power of the Asia-Pacific region to hand down to future generations the affluence our country has built up as a trading nation."
Noda said he understands there are many domestic concerns over participating in the initiative, and promised he will protect Japanese agriculture.