Canada on Thursday joined the APEC chorus in calling on Japan to further reduce tariffs on forestry and fishery products during a high-level meeting in Tokyo, Foreign Ministry officials said.At two-day vice ministerial talks ended Thursday, the Canadian side expressed dissatisfaction with Japan's failure to meet a trade liberalization agreement drawn up last year in Vancouver, British Columbia, the ministry officials said.The pact was made during meetings of ministers and top leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. It calls for member economies to further cut tariffs and pursue trade liberalization measures in nine sectors.Tokyo has been saying that liberalization of forestry and fishery products is a sensitive issue, adding that it would promote trade liberalization on a voluntary basis, the officials said.Opening of the fishery and forestry markets is expected to be a critical issue at the APEC summit in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 17-18. Other member economies are pushing for early liberalization in nine sectors.In a related matter, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Thursday sought Thailand's understanding of Japan's reluctance to meet an APEC agreement to liberalize forestry and fishery trade.At the same time, he supported Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi in his bid to hold the top post of the World Trade Organization, Japanese officials said.
