ISDS Case Map
Japan
Japan's economics minister said on Friday that Tokyo should join a US-led Asia-Pacific free trade initiative to keep its firms from fleeing abroad, despite a backlash in the ruling party against the proposed deal.
Japan's farm minister Michihiko Kano expressed reluctance Sunday to an offer from his New Zealand counterpart for negotiations toward the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's hopes of joining efforts to create an Asia-Pacific free trade zone has put his administration on a collision course with farmers battling depressed rice prices.
The pact is expected to open up access of Indian pharma companies to the Japanese drugs market. However sensitive farm products like rice have been kept out of the deal.
India on Tuesday moved one step closer to signing a free trade agreement with Japan as the Indian cabinet cleared the deal
For Japan, which has been unable to even start negotiations with the EU on a similar free-trade arrangement, the agreement could deal a heavy blow to its auto and electronics industries.
Japanese and US business leaders will adopt a joint statement urging Japan to take part in the existing four-nation trans-Pacific free trade agreement.
In his Diet policy speech on Friday, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he will consider Japan's participation in the negotiations for a regional trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
Japan hopes to follow in the footsteps of South Korea by striking a free trade deal with the EU but said Monday the 27-nation bloc remains divided about embracing the Asian economic powerhouse.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara and his British counterpart William Hague agreed Friday that their countries will work toward the launch of negotiations on signing a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union, a Japanese official said.
