The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved on Tuesday bills to ratify the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, bringing the long-promised multilateral trade pact closer to enforcement and in the process countering rising protectionist moves by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Japan and the 10 countries taking part in the deal, renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership after the United States' withdrawal, aim to put the pact into force possibly by the end of this year after signing it in Chile earlier this month.
The government will present the set of bills during the current Diet session, which runs through June 20, hoping to lead the way in completing necessary domestic procedures, and build momentum toward ratification of the pact by other countries.