The Japanese Government will send senior officials to Vietnam to gather information about the ongoing negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an US-backed regional free trade agreement, local media reported.
Kyodo News quoted sources from the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry as saying that officials from the country's trade, foreign and farm ministries will hold consultations with Vietnamese partners on Feb. 23.
The TPP originated in a free trade pact that took effect in 2006 among Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Negotiations are under way among the four plus Australia, Malaysia, Peru, the United States and Vietnam to expand the framework. The nine countries ended their latest round of negotiations last week in Chile.
Earlier this year, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said he will decide by around June whether his country should join the negotiations for the TPP or not. Japan has held consultations with eight of the nine countries negotiating the TPP except Vietnam.
Experts said that being part of the TPP would likely help boost exports by Japan's auto and electrical machinery makers, but would also be a challenge for Japan, known for its reluctance to open up its agricultural market./.
Kyodo News quoted sources from the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry as saying that officials from the country's trade, foreign and farm ministries will hold consultations with Vietnamese partners on Feb. 23.
The TPP originated in a free trade pact that took effect in 2006 among Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Negotiations are under way among the four plus Australia, Malaysia, Peru, the United States and Vietnam to expand the framework. The nine countries ended their latest round of negotiations last week in Chile.
Earlier this year, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said he will decide by around June whether his country should join the negotiations for the TPP or not. Japan has held consultations with eight of the nine countries negotiating the TPP except Vietnam.
Experts said that being part of the TPP would likely help boost exports by Japan's auto and electrical machinery makers, but would also be a challenge for Japan, known for its reluctance to open up its agricultural market./.
