TPP-11 Could Come into Force in Jan., Japan Minister Hints

October 17, 2018

Tokyo- The new Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement could come into force in January at the earliest, the Japanese minister in charge suggested Tuesday.

After attending a meeting with Tokyo-based ambassadors from the 10 other countries signatory to the agreement, Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said he sees the prospect of six out of the 11 member nations completing their domestic procedures to approve the deal soon, meeting the requirement for its effectuation.

The so-called TPP-11 will take effect 60 days after at least six countries, or a majority of its signatories, complete their domestic procedures for approving it.

So far, Mexico, Japan and Singapore have completed those procedures.

At the meeting, Motegi suggested that if, before a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be held in Papua New Guinea in mid-November, three more member nations are ready to follow suit, Japan wants to express its willingness during the APEC meeting to play a leading role in promoting free trade.

He also briefed the ambassadors on Japan's coming negotiations with the United States on a trade agreement on goods.

According to Motegi, he sought support from the envoys for the bilateral negotiations by noting that Japan will not agree to open its market to U.S. agricultural products more widely than it has promised under the TPP-11. Jiji Press