February 18, 2011
The U.S. administration is intensifying its demands for Japan to abolish regulations on imported beef, allow an increase in U.S. entries into the insurance market, and relax regulations in the medical industry in combination with Japan’s participation in TPP negotiations.
The United States, at a trade forum held with Japan in January in Washington D.C. to collect information for the TPP, requested that Japan lift its restrictions on the minimum age of cattle as a measure to prevent BSE. The U.S. attendees also expressed concern about a bill to review postal privatization in Japan from the perspective of protecting the interests of U.S. financial and insurance industries.
There are 24 working groups (WGs) in the TPP negotiations in which nine countries, including the United States, are participating. The WG on border controls of food imports is focusing on speed more than safety and calling for a speedier quarantine inspection, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are WGs dealing with telecommunications, trade in services, finance, trade facilitation, and competition policies.
The Kan Cabinet’s subcommittee on regulatory and institutional reforms on January 26 proposed that Japan remove regulations in medical and financial industries and speed up approval procedures for food additives in preparation for Japan’s entry into the TPP pact. All these moves reflect the U.S. demands on Japan.
The United States frequently criticizes Japan for having strict standards concerning imported frozen food, food additives, postharvest chemicals, and residual pesticides.
Some examples, according to the 2010 report on sanitary and plant quarantine measures released by the U.S. Trade Representative, include:
- The bacteria-containing standards on imported frozen food in Japan are so strict that Japan sometimes refuses to unload U.S. frozen fried potatoes when they are found to be coli-tainted.
- The regulations on food additives in Japan restrict imports of a number of U.S. foods.
- Japan’s Food Labeling Act requires retailers to put a label on all food products to show all food additives. This requirement unnecessarily prevents Japanese consumers from buying U.S. products.
- The standards for residual agrichemicals in Japan are far tougher than that in the United States.
- The rice import system in Japan requires excessive inspections and costs the United States a great deal in U.S. rice export expenses.
The United States, at a trade forum held with Japan in January in Washington D.C. to collect information for the TPP, requested that Japan lift its restrictions on the minimum age of cattle as a measure to prevent BSE. The U.S. attendees also expressed concern about a bill to review postal privatization in Japan from the perspective of protecting the interests of U.S. financial and insurance industries.
There are 24 working groups (WGs) in the TPP negotiations in which nine countries, including the United States, are participating. The WG on border controls of food imports is focusing on speed more than safety and calling for a speedier quarantine inspection, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are WGs dealing with telecommunications, trade in services, finance, trade facilitation, and competition policies.
The Kan Cabinet’s subcommittee on regulatory and institutional reforms on January 26 proposed that Japan remove regulations in medical and financial industries and speed up approval procedures for food additives in preparation for Japan’s entry into the TPP pact. All these moves reflect the U.S. demands on Japan.
The United States frequently criticizes Japan for having strict standards concerning imported frozen food, food additives, postharvest chemicals, and residual pesticides.
Some examples, according to the 2010 report on sanitary and plant quarantine measures released by the U.S. Trade Representative, include:
- The bacteria-containing standards on imported frozen food in Japan are so strict that Japan sometimes refuses to unload U.S. frozen fried potatoes when they are found to be coli-tainted.
- The regulations on food additives in Japan restrict imports of a number of U.S. foods.
- Japan’s Food Labeling Act requires retailers to put a label on all food products to show all food additives. This requirement unnecessarily prevents Japanese consumers from buying U.S. products.
- The standards for residual agrichemicals in Japan are far tougher than that in the United States.
- The rice import system in Japan requires excessive inspections and costs the United States a great deal in U.S. rice export expenses.
