ISDS Case Map
Japan
The Japanese government will send its big commercial fishing vessels to the Philippines' most productive fishing grounds in search of yellowfin tuna and skip jack instead of importing it directly from the Philippines under the controversial trade pact between the two countries.
Four private-sector members of Japan's key governmental economic panel insist that Tokyo should triple the number of its FTA partners in two years.
A militant coalition of fishermen groups protested the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) as it will allow Japanese transnational fishing companies to corner the country's tuna resources.
Japanese cabinet ministers agreed on Thursday to accelerate negotiations on bilateral free trade agreements (FTA), placing top priority on FTA talks with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Japan will revitalize its efforts to conclude free trade agreements (FTAs) and investment accords with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), East Asia and India, the top government spokesman said Thursday.
China is willing to discuss with Japan the establishment of free trade area (FTA), said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on Thursday.
The Philippines stands to lose more than P9 billion annually in tariff revenues under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). Meanwhile, the gains to Philippine exports that government economic managers claim will happen under JPEPA are similarly overstated. Some 80% of Philippine exports to Japan already enter tariff-free and will not be affected by the free trade pact.
Saying Japan's motives were "highly suspect," an international monitoring group urged the Philippine Senate on Tuesday to reject a controversial economic deal with Japan unless toxic wastes were removed from the list of products that could be brought into the Philippines.
The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) is ready to propose as early as next month that Japan and the United States sign an economic partnership agreement to abolish tariffs and boost free investment, sources said Saturday. It will be the first time the country's most powerful business lobby has proposed a bilateral EPA with the US.
As a bilateral agreement between Japan and Philippines on free trade has been submitted for close scrutiny by Congress over alleged provisions that would allow the dumping of toxic wastes in the country, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila is now negotiating in behalf of the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for a similar trade liberalization deal.
