To Japan and the US: Don’t Let Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations Slip Away

Published in Nihon Keizai Shinbun
(Japan) on 3 February 2014
by Editorial (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Courtney Coppernoll. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Negotiations over creating the next generation of rules for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have hit a wall. As matters currently stand, the forward momentum for establishing a free market system is on the decline, and the opportunity for negotiating could be slipping away. I'm here to sound the alarm.

The major cause of this breakdown in negotiations is Japan and the U.S. Though these two economic powerhouses should be cooperating to press negotiations forward, they remain deadlocked concerning the handling of tariffs. Japan is opposing a free market for agricultural products, while the U.S. is trying to protect its tariff on automobiles.

Both the Japanese and American governments are championing TPP trade negotiations of the “21st century.” There's awareness that reducing trade barriers has advanced the state of the world and that so-called nontariff barriers need to be eliminated to further increase foreign trade and investment.

For that reason, we need to address the areas that were not adequately covered in the existing trade agreement, such as direct investment, free goods and services, and intellectual property rights. To adopt these measures in-country and continue the foreign trade and investment that are vital to East Asia, establishing common rules to govern trading is crucial. TPP is the third element of Abenomics; it will become a pillar of Japan's growth strategy.

The political administrations of Japan and the U.S. should be sharing these high ideals, but due to tariff protectionism within each country, they are pathetically stumbling over a “20th century” problem.

Current TPP negotiations are becoming bipolar. If Japan and the U.S., who sit at the core of the issue, can't reach an agreement, then the 12-country partnership will not be able to proceed with a consensus. Given the failure to reach a settlement at the end of last year and the fact that no date has been determined for the next deadline, there's no guarantee that each country will be willing to continue its involvement.

In Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party is strongly insisting that tariffs be maintained on five agricultural products, including rice and wheat. The Abe administration is currently negotiating with the U.S. regarding a policy to that effect. In the U.S., the Obama administration is weakened by setbacks, such as economic trouble, and is becoming unable to oppose protectionism from Congress and the automobile industry.

I want to see negotiations advanced with the leaders of Japan and the U.S. keeping their roles in perspective. They must not forget their pride and duty as superpowers who support the global economy. During negotiations it's natural for a country to pursue its own national interests, but the problem is determining what is in our national interests. Rather than looking at short-term profits and losses, we must consider the state of our country after 10 or 20 years. Shouldn't establishing free markets and structural reforms serve as the foundation for growth?

Prime Minister Abe should strongly and determinedly oppose domestic protectionism in favor of advancing agricultural reforms that support a free market. As for the Obama administration, I want to make this appeal: Change your position of conspicuously one-sided demands. Instead, please be flexible and build a consensus multilaterally.


次世代の通商ルールを築く環太平洋経済連携協定(TPP)交渉が、暗礁に乗り上げている。このままでは自由化への機運が衰え、交渉は漂流しかねない。警鐘を鳴らしたい。

 難航の最大の原因は日米両国にある。連携して交渉を推し進めるべき立場の2つの経済大国が、関税の扱いをめぐり、にらみ合ったままだからだ。日本は農産品の市場開放に抵抗し、米国は自動車の関税を守ろうとしている。

 日米両政府は、TPPを「21世紀型」の通商交渉だと標榜している。関税障壁の削減が世界で進んだ実情を踏まえて、さらに貿易と投資を活発にするために、いわゆる非関税障壁の撤廃に挑もうという問題意識である。

 そのためには直接投資、サービス、知的財産権など従来の貿易協定で十分に網羅していなかった分野に取り組む必要がある。東アジアの活力を貿易や投資を通して国内に取りこむには、取引する上で共通ルールが欠かせない。TPPはアベノミクスの第3の矢である成長戦略の柱となる。

 こうした高い理念を共有しているはずの日米両国の政権が、それぞれの国内で、関税による保護主義という「20世紀型」の問題でつまずいているのは情けない。

 現時点のTPP交渉は二重構造になっている。中核となる日米が合意できなければ、その先の全12カ国による合意形成に進めない。昨年末の妥結に失敗し、次の期限を設けていない現状では、各国の意欲を保てる保証はない。

 日本では自民党がコメや麦など農産品5項目の関税維持を強く主張し、今のところ安倍政権はこの方針に沿って米国との交渉に臨んでいる。米国では財政問題などでの失敗でオバマ政権が弱体化し、自動車業界や議会の保護主義勢力に対抗できなくなっている。

 日米の指導者は、世界経済を支える大国としての自負と責任を忘れず、大局観を持って交渉を前進させてほしい。交渉で国益を追求するのは当然だが、問題は何が国益かである。目先の損得勘定ではなく、10年後、20年後の国の姿を見通し、成長の基盤を自由化と構造改革で築くべきではないか。

 安倍首相は、強い意志で国内の保護主義に対抗し、市場開放に耐える農業の改革を進めるべきだ。オバマ政権には、一方的な要求が目立つ交渉姿勢を改め、多国間で合意を築く柔軟性を求めたい。
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