Dec. 27, 2011 Japan has been advancing a series of trade talks recently to hammer out bilateral or regional free-trade agreements because it sees high-level economic partnerships as the key to revitalizing its stagnant economy. While announcing last month its plan to join multilateral talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a U.S.-led free-trade initiative, this [...]
In Japan, possible free trade deal comes with an argument
The Washington Post October 30, 2011 By Chico Harlan Original Source TOKYO — In an upscale neighborhood where Japanese buy their handbags and smartphones, furious farmers drove their tractors down the main road last week in their latest protest against a controversial regionwide free-trade pact. The stunt was an illustration of the way the country’s [...]
Noda to declare participation in Pacific FTA talks at APEC
The Mainichi Daily News (Japan) October 30, 2011 mdn.mainichi.jp Original Source TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda plans to declare Japan will join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations at a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart on the occasion of an upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, sources close to the matter said [...]
Japanese farmers protest against possible trade pact
The China Post†October 27, 2011 Original Source TOKYO–Thousands of Japanese farmers marched through central Tokyo on Wednesday to push the government not to join a regional free trade pact that will likely hit the nation’s small farmers. Expectation is growing that Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who has said free trade deals are necessary for [...]