Abe aims to polish reform credentials with TPP decision

This is Abe’s way of spiting the Chinese without going to a war shrine,” said Simon Evenett, a professor of international trade at St Gallen University in Switzerland

Selling out Japanese jobs to other countries and opening up Japan to low quality food is not a way of spiting the Chinese!!

Abe should make a decision soon, otherwise he will end up looking as useless and indecisive as Hatoyama. Those who want to keep on "discussing" the issue ad infinitum are trying to prevent a decision being made.

This article goes well with yesterday's photo of Abe with his head on the chopping block. His economic reform policies contradict themselves. On one hand, he wants to build Japan's inner production and on the other he wants to join the TTP. If he tries to both he and the Japanese economy are doomed. Personally, I think he should join the TTP and let the already heavily subsidized farmers suck it up. Joining will go a long way to stabilizing the yen and make Japan a more viable proposition for international investment, which Japan desperately needs cos they are broke and up to their armpits in debt.

As countries go into currency war mode (even to the point of denying it), and all the major currencies attempting to print themselves into prosperity, or oblivion and gold in a ten year rise, Abe is in danger of wiping out Japanese farming despite the fact that Japanese can currently produce less than 40% of the calories that they consume.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A3%9F%E6%96%99%E8%87%AA%E7%B5%A6%E7%8E%87

If Yen goes the way of the Reichsmark, how are the Japanese going to buy corn?　I hope he can keep his "sacred area". Meanwhile I am purchasing land.

If I remember correctly, didn't Minshuto indicate that Japan must enter the TPP talks mainly to protect its interests and make sure Japan isn't put in a corner somewhere? Abe & company went into the recent election blasting Minshuto's idea, giving the impression that it really wasn't in favor of the TPP. Now the LDP comes forward with a plan that is similar to the one put forward by Minshuto's Noda (the previous prime minister).

So like it or not ... Japan must enter into the talks to make sure it isn't trampled on in the future TPP talks. And now Abe is making it sound like everything is his doing. There's an awful lot of things that have to be discussed from all angles ... so, as has been said before, hope Abe & his cohorts know what they are doing ...

I hope Act 4 will be to cancel the consumption tax hike.