October 5, 2015
Goshi Hosono
Chair, Policy Research Committee, DPJ

Today, the countries participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP Agreement) negotiations reached an agreement in principle at the Ministerial Meeting that was held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Japan needs to play a leading role to advance global trade and investment in order for Japan, a trading nation, to leave its present prosperity to future generations and to develop a dynamic society. To this end, Japan must promote high-level economic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as economic partnerships with major trading partners outside of the region.

In terms of what is known at this stage, however, the content of the agreement in principle reached at the TPP Agreement negotiations is not in line with the national interests of Japan. For example, ever since Japan joined the TPP negotiations, the Government has led the conversion from rice for human consumption to rice for animal feed in Japan. Nevertheless, the recent agreement establishes a special quota for U.S. imported rice and significantly lowers the import tariffs for beef and pork. Such measures will deal a devastating blow to the agricultural, forestry, and fishery industries in Japan. It is clear that the agreement breaches the resolutions of the Committees on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, the compliance of which the ruling and opposition parties had been urging. We strongly protest this point.

Meanwhile, in the automobile sector, in which Japan should take the offensive, it appeared that Japan did not negotiate persistently to uphold the Diet resolutions until the very last moment, simply because of the rush to reach an agreement. It was always Japan that continued to make unilateral compromises, and as a result, Japan did not make adequate gains from the negotiations. In addition, the negotiations have raised new focal issues in wide-ranging sectors, including the length of data protection for new pharmaceuticals, the introduction of a system of non-complaint offense for copyright infringements, and the issue of “wartime copyright extensions.” The agreement warrants a thorough study on its potential impacts on Japan.

The DPJ will carefully check the content of the agreement and request a swift convocation of the Committee on Budget to engage in intense discussions at the Diet.

Lastly, no information was revealed about the status of the negotiations during the negotiation process, leaving many relevant industries and all levels of Japanese society to voice their concerns and uncertainties. In light of this, the Government should promptly disclose the content of the agreement, as well as information about the negotiation process. In this connection, we urge the swift passage of the Bill Promoting the Disclosure of Information Regarding TPP and other Trade-related Negotiations that the DPJ has submitted to the Diet.