Japan Press Weekly

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2011 February 23 - March 1 TOP3 [ECONOMY]

Japan’s entry into TPP will cost 3.5 million jobs

If Japan enters into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact, 3.5 million people will lose their jobs in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and their related industries. The number is higher than the total number of currently unemployed.

This was revealed by the estimate made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.

According to the report, the annual production value of agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries will drop by 4.57 trillion yen. Rice production will mark a 90% decrease. The production of raw milk will fall by 88%, wheat 99%, and sugar 100%. Furthermore, the total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry sectors and their subsectors will decline by 8.44 trillion yen.

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Eda Kenji, Secretary General of the Your Party, said that Japan should participate in the TPP without delay at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on February 23.

Eda said, “In order to survive international competition, (Japan) has to open up the country and rely only on trade. The government should take the appropriate response by regarding Japan’s participation in the TPP as a golden opportunity.”

He went on to say that the government should abolish the rice paddy acreage reduction policy, lower the rice price, and increase the amount of rice exports. Then he urged the government to implement a policy of consolidating farm land and encouraging more business corporations to enter into the farming sector.

Prime Minister Kan Naoto replied, “We are heading toward a shared goal.”