Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2011 November 16 - 22 [ECONOMY]

JCP Kasai at Diet exposes US demands on Japan over TPP

Japanese Communist Party representative Kasai Akira at a Lower House plenary session on November 17 exposed what the United States would expect from Japan in bilateral consultations before multinational free-trade negotiations.

Japan cannot join Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement talks without the consent of the 9 TPP member countries. “Before that,” Kasai pointed out, “Japan must accept the U.S. demands in prior consultations held between the two governments. If not, the U.S. Congress will not approve Japan’s entry into the TPP negotiations.”

Kasai touched on a press release after the Japan-U.S. summit meeting in Hawaii: The White House press secretary said, “President Barak Obama will instruct U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk to begin the domestic process of considering Japan’s candidacy.” The spokesman went on to say that the process will include “consultations with Congress and with U.S. stakeholders on specific issues of concern in the agricultural, services, and manufacturing sectors, to include non-tariff measures.”

Kasai said, “USTR Kirk already expressed that he will urge Japan to relax restrictions on U.S. beef imports and nontariff measures targeting automobiles and the Japan Post insurance system.”

Kasai said, “At the APEC CEO Business Summit as well, Obama openly said that he will test Japan to see if it is ready to make a tough decision regarding, for example, Japan’s rural sector. He also said point-blank that the U.S. purpose is to double U.S. exports and to enhance job opportunities.”

“With Congressional approval as leverage, the U.S. side is going to pressure Japan to fully eliminate tariffs and other nontariff measures. If Japan does not cede to these U.S. demands, Congress will not let Japan join. Or Japan must accept the entire package without restrictions. What a humiliating sham of diplomacy!”

“As for U.S. beef imports, Prime Minister Noda told U.S. President Obama that Japan will consider easing restrictions on U.S. beef imports from the present 20 months old or younger to 30 months old or younger of slaughtered cattle.” Kasai said to the government, “Are you going to give in to the U.S. demands and liberalize U.S. beef imports in the end?”

Prime Minister Noda answered, “I will protect what Japan should protect.”

Kasai went on to say, “The prime minister keeps saying he will protect Japan’s universal healthcare system, but the U.S. insurance industry and pharmaceutical corporations are calling for non-insured medical treatment, which will be accessible only for people who have enough money for such costly procedures. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not deny the possibility of a total removal of the ban on for-profit medical treatment which would impose treatment fees not then covered by the public healthcare program on patients.”

“Besides,” Kasai said, “Investor-state dispute settlement (ISD) provisions in international trade agreements enable multinational corporations to change other governments’ regulatory measures in their favor. Such controversial provisions are incorporated in the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). A serious problem is now arising in South Korea over the ISD provisions. Can Japan keep the position of defending the public interest and refuse to accept those provisions if the U.S. presses Japan to accept them?”

Prime Minister Noda answered, “I will deal with it individually.”

Kasai concluded, “What Japan should do now is stop being so acquiescent to the United States and work to develop more equitable, mutually-beneficial economic relations with respect for each country’s economic sovereignty, and not enter the TPP.”