Japan's ambassador urges U.S. to endorse Japan's TPP bid

Japan should sign a disclaimer, no claims no special treatment, must accept agriculture and automobile trade under same category.... such simple steps will assure Japan's entry in TPP club, me guess !

Much of Japan's interest in TPP is a farce, even if tariffs are lifted, it won't have much effect on goods coming into Japan, as we have seen with automobiles. Retail prices in Japan are not primarily controlled by the market as they are elsewhere, but by the retailers. Collusion between Japanese retailers allows them to fix prices at high levels, this is why the cost of goods in Japan saw almost no change over the past 6 years, despite huge changes in the value of the yen. A new BMW cost as much in 2012 as it did in 2007, even though the Euro had fallen more than 1/3 against the yen. This should have resulted in the price of a new BMW falling by 1/3, but of course this did not happen, just as there was little or no change in the retail cost of other imported goods. There is no point in reducing tariffs or duties when the retailers don't pass the savings to their customers, and this is the point that American auto makers are arguing. What's more, this price fixing not only applies to imported goods, but to goods produced in Japan, which is why Japanese televisions, cameras, etc, cost more in Japan than they do in America. In most developed countries, price fixing is strictly illegal, in Japan it is part of doing business.

He said Japan is sensitive to the concerns of U.S. industry, and he urged the U.S. to be sensitive to Japanese agriculture, in pursuit of the “higher goal” of building regional free trade

Clever strategy. Japan knows it would lose this debate on simply the merits of "free trade" since Japan will almost certainly try to exempt their "sensitive" categories, and then likely throw up lots of non-tariff barriers to undermine the agreement in many others, as they have always done. So, instead, they are playing the political card, and, read between the lines, trying to play the U.S. off against China. In other words, play ball with us, U.S., or we'll play ball with China. But, they need to remember that all treaties need to be approved by the U.S. Congress, and the members of Congress listen to their constituents, who care most about jobs, and not a bit about Japan or China.

I agree the US should support Japan in any way possible.

Senators at this week’s hearing...sought assurances from the ...Japan would not get special treatment.

It's hilarious how big, mighty Japan that brags about its "superior" "quality" products, work ethics and methods, etc., needs "special treatment" to compete against the likes of Vietnam and Peru.

I think that Japan should be excluded until existing treaties start to be faithfully honored. Japan doesn't have the best track record of "play by the rules".

Japanese only buy japanese products regardless of quality. The US sees no point in having Japan join the TPP. Japan's market is a one sided street. One only needs to walk through Chinese/Korean cities and compare them with Japanese cities. Sure Japanese products are not EVERYWHERE in China and Korea either but you can still easily find japanese products if any consumer wants some. Japan's "japan everything" market is just based on racial attitudes and a delusional sense of superiority.

Japan's interest is in the TPP or that Korea-China-Japan FTA they got going. Unfortunately, China and Korea will not benefit from doing business with the japanese. Same goes for all the countries in the TPP expecting to gain any benefit from letting Japan in on the TPP.

I'll support Japan regardless but the locals really need to open their eyes. Japanese products are not the best anymore.

Unconditionally and without a doubt, Japan will benefit from the TPP, simply because Japan needs this as a precondition to war. Abe knows that China will continue its demands for the Senkakus, which have been Japanese territory since the 1800's and which were never contested until a few decades ago simply because everyone knows they are Japanese islands.

Japan is now in the process of re-militarizing its society, its industries and its agricultural economy. Consequently, Japan needs to be in a position where it can import everything it needs to function in a wartime environment. Having free access to the agricultural and military-industrial might of all TPP countries ensures that Japan can devote itself entirely to defeating China in the Battle of the Senkakus.

With its superior technology and military expertise, Japan will annihilate the PLA navy and air force, castrating any future military aggression from China against its neighbors in the East China Sea or the South China Sea. That is the real purpose of the TPP. All members of the TPP have agreed to this, and this is the will of the people.

Japan should sign a disclaimer

Why? No one else is. The point of trade negotiations is that countries negotiate over what will and will not be covered by the trade pact. All the parties will have areas they want to protect, Japan will not be the only exception.

Japanese only buy japanese products regardless of quality.

Well to be fair I think the fact that Japanese only buy Japanese products is mostly politically motivated/constructed. Unfortunately, the fact that the Japanese bureaucrats being hell-bent on protecting the Japanese industry have only weakened Japan to due their lack of competition and their own inability of surviving in the international market.

I believe that if the Japanese were left alone then they would buy non-Japanese products if the quality or the price is better than the Japanese counterpart. They are made to believe that buying national brands is equivalent to being "loyal" to their country or something - an idea that is clearly carried over from the WW1&2 era. Is this the 1930s? No!

"With its superior technology and military expertise, Japan will annihilate the PLA navy and air force, castrating any future military aggression from China against its neighbors in the East China Sea or the South China Sea. That is the real purpose of the TPP. All members of the TPP have agreed to this, and this is the will of the people."

Lol. You obviously think war is a joke. You can go join them in the frontlines brave man. What will Japan do when China fires off hundreds of nukes at once. No ballistics system can handle that many.