Japan's agriculture policy offers world's most liberalized market

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Japan's agriculture policy offers world's most liberalized market

Japanese Communist Party Dietmember Yoshii Hidekatsu on November 16 expressed opposition to the government's decision to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, stressing that Japan already has the most liberalized agricultural market in the world.

Although Prime Minister Kan Naoto says that Japan has fallen behind other countries, its average tariff rate on agricultural imports is 11.7 percent, much lower than the 62.2 percent of South Korea and the 19.5 percent of the EU, said Yoshii at a House of Representatives plenary session. He added that Japan's self-sufficiency rate is already down to 40 percent compared to the U.S. and Australia with self-sufficiency rates of more than 100 percent.

Out of 21 APEC members, only nine nations have entered into negotiations for the TPP, which do not include China and South Korea. In addition, Japan has already concluded the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with six of the nine countries.

Citing these facts, Yoshii pointed out that the real reason for Japan to join the TPP agreement is to create a free-trade relationship with the United States and Australia, and that the government is eager to establish such relations, especially with the U.S.

- Akahata, November 17, 2010