Incoming LDP gov't hints at joining TPP

It was only a matter of time. After convincing all the unconstitutionally weighted rural voters that they had their backs, this group will now do the usual flip-flop to please their big manufacturing pay-masters.

The last thing Japan needs to do is to join the US-centric TPP.

Keep away from it, it's poison.

Betrayal? No surprise, it was a well planned LDP's strategy to win back the power.

Summary

1) Restart Nuke Energy plants.

2) Spend more (more tax burden) without major spending cut proposal.

3) Remove Independence from BOJ.

4) Join TPP

Am I missing anything else?

Wow, I am missing a big one on the list above. 5) Change the Article 9th of Japanese Constitution!!

The last thing Japan needs to do is to join the US-centric TPP.

Keep away from it, it's poison.

Quite honestly only someone with their head in the sand would think this way. Free trade is the fastest way to make friends out of enemies. (Look at the list of TPP members and potential members so you don't get confused about what I wrote)

Japanese farmers and their backers are typically the ONLY people against the TPP BECAUSE they will lose out due to their outdated modes of farming that are overly subsidized by the government which is paid by us consumers.

You want to continue to pay more for goods and services than you have to? Sorry I dont.

2) Spend more (more tax burden) without major spending cut proposal.

They wont raise taxes NOW, they can't. Raise the debt and put the burden on the future? That's another story.

Wouldn't it be nice to see them stop being non-committal one way or the other? Anyway, I'm for Japan joining the TPP, because it will have to one day anyway to remain competitive and increase exports, among other bonuses, but I'm not surprised the LDP is already flip-flopping.

Japan expressing interest in joining the TPP is like some girl who has chosen to be chaste for life saying she might be interested in dating. They only do it for attention, nothing else.

Say hey ... nothing new here. The LDP lied to us in the past ... and they are continuing to do so as they change the power structure to once again suit themselves. As they are America's "yes men," joining the TPP talks and most probably eventually the TPP itself was a foregone conclusion even before the election.

It was pointed out on TV this morning that approximately 60% of Abe's expected new cabinent ministers to be named tomorrow come from family dynasties ... that is, their father, grandfather or other relative once held an elected position. From what I gathered from that TV show, the question is, are they capable of leading the nation out of recession? Many of those being considered for minister posts are recycled ministers from the old LDP/Komeito reign.

As the LDP will undoubtedly enter the TPP talks, just hope they put some really good thinkers in charge of their delegation ... not somebody who is being used just because he/she is in line to be given a privileged job so as to brighten up their job resume.

The day after Abe’s poll victory, Japan’s major business lobby Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) urged Abe to join the trade talks “at an early date”.

So it comes down to who has more clout. The Keidanren and their factories and millions of workers, young and old alike or the family farmer and JA who survive on the subsidies that the government feeds them?

Is it right that the entire population of 130 million people have to pay some of the highest prices in the world for a staple food such as rice, just to maintain the way of life of the smallholder farmer?

Is it right that the entire population of 130 million people have to pay some of the highest prices in the world for a staple food such as rice, just to maintain the way of life of the smallholder farmer?

No it isn't. Here however is one argument that I have heard from a farmer, who told me that like any country Japan wants to be able to provide it's own food for themselves and not be held hostage (potentially) to world markets or countries that they would need to import food from. Self sustaining is the goal.

However when I countered in the discussion about the outdated methods, the huge subsidies, the unnecessary increase in cost to consumers, he countered with the age old argument that Japanese farmers culturally speaking, view themselves as the "providers" to the country and that their products are inherently better than anything anyone else could provide. and just because it costs people more they should be grateful to the farmers for providing them with, in his words, "safe" and "reliable" food products.

I asked him then what about the ever growing lower class of people who CAN NOT afford the high cost of fresh vegetables and rice and with the economy as it is and the costs for so many things actually rising, (taxes too) but with no rise in income and poor paying jobs who can afford to keep paying for these products they produce........You don't want to hear the answer I got......."Oh something will come along and they'll be ok"......Yeah right!!!

http://www.jipf.org/events/pdf/report20120217_Nezu.pdf

That is a link to Why the TPP is good for Japan

Thanks for the info, Yuburu. I saved it. By the way, is there any more research done for this subject TPP? I am interested in solely research purpose. Your feedback is highly appreciated.

Har..har..har.. Never trust LDP. +DP lies a lot and riddled with scandals and corruptions. TPP is for USA and Europe profit alone. Japan should stay away from it.

Small Japanese farms could never compete with the environmentally-damaging monocrops of US Ag. Japan needs to stay away from TPP, not only to protect Japanese jobs and food quality, but also to help the environment.

Small Japanese farms could never compete with the environmentally-damaging monocrops of US Ag. Japan needs to stay away from TPP, not only to protect Japanese jobs and food quality, but also to help the environment.

Small Japanese farms are overly subsidized by the Japanese government through tax money that I and millions of others pay.

I am sick and tired of having to pay 200 yen for ONE damn tomato, I am sick of having to pay 2,000 or more for 5 kilos of rice, I am sick and tired of paying for low end medications that literally force me to go to the doctor numerous times when I KNOW that I could get better in another country.

TPP will assist in opening the market and making things easier FOR EVERYONE here.

I am sick and tired of paying over 1,000 yen for a handful of fresh raspberries!

OK, I don't actually buy them, I just look at them in the Japanese-owned supermarket and sigh...

I am sick and tired of paying over 1,000 yen for a handful of fresh raspberries! OK, I don't actually buy them, I just look at them in the Japanese-owned supermarket and sigh...

Be happy you can at least look at them, where I am at the only one's I see are frozen!

I am sick and tired of paying over 1,000 yen for a handful of fresh raspberries!

I paid 680 yen for a raspberry cane 20 years ago. In recent years it's been producing a couple of kilos of fruit every summer. The blackberry cane i bought at the same time, same price, now produces 12~15 kilos every year. They cost literally nothing to grow - no fertilisers, no nothing. The berries in the shops are so expensive because they need such careful handling and have such a short shelf life. If you can't grow your own, frozen are probably better value and better quality than fresh.

I pay $1 for each pack of rasberry, blackberry, blueberry. After the TPP, we can ship these to Japanese consumers every day.