Japan, NZ discuss environment, security; may study FTA

Thursday 15th May, 05:20 AM JST

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4 Comments

Altria at 09:12 AM JST - 15th May

Go Helen! You the man!
Hikozaemon at 10:54 AM JST - 15th May

Given NZ's willingness to allow give President Hu a photo op by agreeing to sign an FTA in the middle of the crackdown in Tibet, it should not be hard then for NZ to climbdown from its ridiculous position against Japanese scientific whaling.

I mean, NZ is willing to sign a deal with a government while that government slaughtering its own citizens, all in order to sell a few more kiwifruit, so what are a couple of minke whales?

Japan will also note how NZ basically bent over and let China do its worst in the conditions under the FTA (for example, Chinese can obtain working holiday visas to NZ, but not vice versa, etc) so I'm quite sure that Helen will be willing to offer the NZ public a deal with Japan with equally bad terms.

Another reason that FTAs should be multilateral, and not left for countries with different power relationships and agendas to negotiate one on one.

Peace
zaichik at 06:39 AM JST - 16th May

Go Helen! You the man!

Ah, but for how much longer?

I'm not sure how much direct impact an NZ-Japan FTA would have on the man in the street - cheaper import duty on second-hand cars?
nukefree83 at 01:53 PM JST - 17th May

NZ tried for a FTA with the US. The US knocked it back, so we did a deal with the next world superpower. We don't need America, we are part of Asia. I'm very pleased the US said no - the less we have to do with these warmongers the better. Out main trade partner happens to be Australia at the moment. America is becoming more and more isolated. We don't back losers. (read Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam)