Japan unveiled a vague counterproposal Wednesday on how to reform global farm trade that could be interpreted as supporting a compromise drafted by the United States and the European Union.
The proposal reiterates Japan's opposition to a ceiling on tariffs on farm produce and the expansion of low-tariff import quotas on products whose tariff rates are above the ceiling, trade sources said.
But it is filled with elusive words that could be interpreted to mean that Japan favors the U.S.-EU proposal over those put forward by Brazil and some other developing countries, which call for eliminating all domestic protection, they said.
Japan presented the proposal to intensive negotiations aimed at reaching a compromise on farm trade liberalization weeks before a crucial ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization.