Japan Press Weekly

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2012 August 29 - September 4 [POLITICS]

222 lawmakers hold protest rally against TPP across party lines

On August 30, 222 Dietmembers from various political parties held a rally in Tokyo and adopted a resolution demanding that the government give up its intent to sit the negotiating table for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact.

At the rally, representatives of the Japanese Communist Party, the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic, Komei, Social Democratic parties, and People’s Life First, stated in chorus that Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko should not announce Japan’s participation in the TPP talks at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting next month or at a United Nations General Assembly meeting.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo criticized Noda for intending to go ahead with pre-TPP procedures due to the pressure being brought to bear by Japanese business circles. “The key to a victory is to create the circumstances under which the overwhelming majority of the general public oppose entry to the TPP negotiations,” Shii stated, and called on the participants to work together to increase public opposition to the free-trade agreement.

After the rally, representatives of the participants met Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura Osamu at the Prime Minister’s Office and demanded that the prime minister hold back from announcing Japan’s participation in TPP talks at the APEC or a UNGA meeting.

Fujimura responded by saying that the prime minister will not announce that at the coming APEC meeting as negotiations with the U.S. is yet to be finished.