Japan Press Weekly

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2013 April 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

Abe’s declaration of joining TPP talks causes rift with traditional LDP supporters

The Liberal Democratic Party is facing severe protests from groups of farmers and fishermen, and traditional supporters of the party, during a nationwide tour to explain the party’s policy toward the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement.

The LDP since April 6 has held a series of meetings with supporters at various locations across the nation with the aim of providing an explanation about the situation concerning the TPP.

In Hokkaido, the meetings took place at nine locations by April 15.

At one of the meetings to which an LDP Dietmember came as a speaker, participants wearing head banners reading, “Opposition to the TPP!” took seats directly in front of the speaker. The LDP lawmaker received many requests to withdraw from the TPP negotiations without delay.

Another meeting was held on April 14 in Kitami City in the northeast area of Hokkaido with the attendance of more than 100 people, including municipal leaders as well as groups of farmers, fishermen, and local business owners. In the meeting, a person heading the association of leaders of local agricultural cooperatives read out a protest statement against the LDP’s decision to join the free-trade talks.

The statement criticizes the party’s decision to “ignore people’s fear for complete liberalization of trade” as “outrageous.” It describes the decision as “an act of betrayal” to voters who voted for the LDP in the 2012 general election in believing its promise to oppose the TPP. The statement also states that the LDP has aroused strong political distrust and anger.

On another day at a meeting held in Sapporo City, vice president of the Hokkaido Prefectural Cooperatives Union Hasegawa Yukio said that the TPP free-trade pact was designed by the United States to bring the most benefits to itself.

Related past articles:
> Abe makes large concessions in pre-TPP talks with US [April 14, 2013]