Japanese and U.S. business leaders called on their governments Friday to make utmost efforts to get Tokyo to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade negotiations now involving 11 countries.
They also urged Japan to adopt a sustainable strategy for thermal power sources, including importing liquefied natural gas from the United States, amid uncertainty about the future of nuclear power in light of the triple-meltdown crisis that started last year at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. The disaster has effectively led to the shutdown of most of the nation's reactors.
"Participation in the TPP would boost Japan's economic growth by increasing two-way trade with member economies, reducing operating costs for businesses in Japan, lowering prices for Japanese consumers and opening the way for more foreign direct investment in Japan," the two sides said in a joint statement after their two-day meeting in Tokyo.