Japan expects USA to get back to TPP

Japan generally appreciates an upbeat stance by America toward an Asia-Pacific trade pact, although Tokyo indicated that changing the agreement at this point might appear to be extremely difficult.

Kazuyoshi Umemoto, Japan's chief negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership informed Reuters that a pact among the remaining 11 members, set to be signed in March, might have influenced the United States.

On Tuesday, Umemoto told that Tokyo has been working hard, mainly motivated by expectations that America would get back to the trade agreement in the nearer future. Japan welcomes Washington getting positive as for the TPP.

Japan took the lead in working on the updated trade pact right after Donald Trump pulled America out of an earlier 12-nation variant in 2017, telling that he was eager to opt for one-on-one deals, which would be more beneficial to his country.

In January, 11 nations had the pact finalized and they’re supposed to sign this stuff on March 8, in Chile.

The previous month, in Switzerland Trump informed the World Economic Forum that it was real for America to get back to the agreement if it got a more attractive deal.

Umemoto told that it probably appeared to be high profile that they reached the pact among the 11 participants as it took place right before the Davos gathering. He added that it would have a definite impact.

The final version of the updated pact, currently dubbed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement For Trans-Pacific Partnership is going to be officially released on Wednesday.

The fresh deal actually changes nothing in the area of market access, which was agreed on by the original 12 participants, but it had the number of rule-related frozen items minimized.

Umemoto added he relishes a thought that during the first half of next year the TPP 11 is going to become effective enough after at least six participants finish their domestic procedures.