Japan is one of six Trans-Pacific Partnership member countries vowing to move forward with the trade deal, despite the nation’s Prime Minister calling TPP “ meaningless ” without the United States. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (sheen-zoh ah-bay) made the comments around the same time U.S. President-elect Donald Trump promised to withdraw from TPP on the first day of his presidency. Still, Reuters reports that Japan plans to take the lead in getting TPP into effect as soon as possible. A top official within Japan’s government said this week that Japan plans to lobby other signatories to the pact, but declined to elaborate. Also this week, officials from Mexico said at least six countries, including Japan, plan to move forward on TPP with or without the United States.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.