Aug 28, 2013

TPP sides set to keep food safety regimes

The 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations are unlikely to ease their individual food safety standards as the subject is not being discussed in the free-trade talks, negotiation sources said Wednesday. While this means Japan can maintain its regulations on food additives ...

Aug 26, 2013

TPP talks on farm tariffs not likely till September

Japan is likely to start negotiating tariffs on rice and other farm products during the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations in September or later, the government said Monday. Japan is keen to retain high tariffs on imported rice, wheat, beef, pork, dairy products and sugar to ...

Aug 25, 2013

TPP talks stirred up by decade-plus tariff phaseouts

Some of the countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations are proposing phaseout periods of over 10 years for certain tariffs, negotiation sources said Sunday. Such proposals could influence Japan’s stance as it seeks to keep tariffs in place on key farm products. ...

Aug 25, 2013

TPP stakeholders' next summit likely in October in Bali

Leaders of the 12 countries participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations are expected to hold a summit on Oct. 8, a source involved in the talks said. The summit, to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders’ meeting ...

Aug 23, 2013

TPP ministers vow to end talks by year's end

Ministers of the 12 countries involved in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations vowed Friday to speed up the talks and conclude them by year’s end. In a joint statement released after their two-day meeting in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, the ministers said they ...

Tariffs figure large for Amari at TPP talks in Brunei

Aug 22, 2013

Tariffs figure large for Amari at TPP talks in Brunei

Twelve Pacific Rim countries begin the 19th round of negotiations in Brunei for creating a regional free trade pact, with Japan engaging in full-fledged talks on tariffs and other issues for the first time after joining last month.

Japan, U.S. pledge to make TPP a success

Aug 19, 2013

Japan, U.S. pledge to make TPP a success

Echoing his talks with the trade minister the previous day, economic and fiscal policy minister Akira Amari and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman agreed Monday to work together toward a successful conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks by the end of the ...

Aug 17, 2013

Japan to join two major free trade sessions in Brunei, on TPP, RCEP

Japan will participate in two major free trade meetings in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, this week — a ministerial session Monday to further the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal and another from Thursday to Friday on the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact. The TPP session ...

Aug 16, 2013

Low initial goal eyed for next TPP round

Japan plans to initially present a less ambitious trade liberalization goal in Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, Akira Amari, minister in charge of TPP issues, suggested Thursday. The negotiations will start with low numbers, Amari said at a news conference after he and other Cabinet ministers ...

Aug 14, 2013

Bilateral TPP talks eyed with 10 members in late August

Japan is arranging one-on-one meetings with the 10 other countries, apart from the United States, involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks on the sidelines of the next negotiations session later this month, a government source said. The government is prepared to present lists of ...