Japan Press Weekly

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2011 February 2 - 8 [ECONOMY]

TPP is for stronger Japan-US ties: Japan and US think-tanks

Policy think-tanks in which Japan-U.S. government officials are involved presented a joint proposal last autumn, calling for Japan’s entry in the TPP to strengthen the foundation of the Japan-U.S. military alliance.

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and the Tokyo Foundation set up a project team and compiled the joint proposal on October 27 last year, focusing on a stronger Japan-U.S. partnership in the economic and military fields.

The joint proposal argues that Japan should join the TPP which the U.S. administration has already expressed its intent to participate and should fulfill a proactive role in realizing a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as agreed upon by the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) forum.

Japanese leader of the project team was Funabashi Yoichi, Asahi Shimbun’s chief editor at that time. The Asahi Shimbun, a mainstream newspaper, runs editorials calling for Japan’s entry into the TPP.