Abe to Announce Japan's TPP Participation If Exceptions Allowed

Tokyo, Feb. 13 (Jiji Press)--Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to announce as early as in March Japan's participation in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations if some exceptions to the principle of eliminating all tariffs are accepted, informed sources said Wednesday. Abe plans to finalize Japan's stance after hearing U.S. President Barack Obama's opinion about possible exceptions to tariff elimination when he visits the United States next week, the sources said. In policy promises for the House of Representatives election in December, Abe's Liberal Democratic Party said the party will oppose Japan's participation in TPP negotiations if abolishing tariffs without exceptions is a prerequisite for the TPP framework. Since Abe took office in late December following the LDP's landslide victory in the election, Abe has maintained this policy. The prime minister has told the Diet, or Japan's parliament, that he would confirm whether such complete tariff abolition is the premise of the TPP in the coming meeting with Obama. At a House of Representative Budget Committee meeting on Tuesday, Abe said he wants to make a final decision on whether Japan should join TPP negotiations after the bilateral summit ensures that the promises with the public will not be broken, indicating that approval of exceptions may lead to a decision to participate. Still, many LDP lawmakers want Abe to postpone the decision until after the House of Councillors election in the summer, concerned about strong opposition from agricultural organizations, powerful support groups for the party. But an aide to Abe insists that it is better to announce TPP participation as soon as possible and work on measures for the country's agricultural sector, so that an impact of the participation decision on the summer election can be reduced. Abe is apparently inclined to announce the participation early since joining the TPP is believed to contribute to pursuing a growth strategy, one of three pillars of Abe's economic policy, known as "Abenomics." Eleven countries which are now in TPP negotiations hope to reach an agreement on the occasion of a summit in October of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. END