The administration agreed Tuesday to postpone its plan to decide by June on whether to join negotiations for a U.S.-led Pacific free-trade accord as it reviewed its policy priorities in the wake of the March 11 megaquake and tsunami.
In a policy guideline decided during a Cabinet meeting, the administration said it would "comprehensively consider when to make a decision" on whether to join the talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a regional free-trade initiative being negotiated by the U.S., , Australia and other Asia-Pacific nations.
But the administration decided to stick to its goal of outlining tax and social security reform plans by the end of June, at a time when the government is struggling to secure enough funds for reconstruction of the devastated northeast without seriously damaging its already tattered fiscal position.