Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Photo: AFP/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Japanese Government plans to form a new cross-ministry unit to handle all free trade negotiations following the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), according to Kyodo News on January 25.
The new entity would handle continued dialogue over the TPP and an economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union (EU).
Japan is also a party to negotiations on the establishment of a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
At a press conference, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda said that the Government has yet to decide to merge the units or establish a new unit, but affirmed it as one of the country’s considered options.
The TPP was inked in Auckland, New Zealand in February 2016 after five years of negotiations. After the US withdrawal, the TPP consists of 11 countries, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Japan was the first country to fulfil procedures to ratify the TPP.-VNA
VNA
