ID :
295221
Wed, 08/07/2013 - 08:59
Auther :

USTR Froman to Visit Japan on Aug. 19 for TPP Talks

Washington, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will visit Japan on Aug. 19 to hold talks with his ministerial counterparts of the Asian country on issues related to Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations, the Office of the USTR said Tuesday. This will be Froman's first visit to Japan since he took the post in late June. He is slated to hold meetings with Akira Amari, Japan's minister in charge of the TPP negotiations, and other senior Japanese officials. Froman's visit comes ahead of the 19th round of plenary TPP talks in Brunei on Aug. 22-30. Japan, which made its debut in the U.S.-led TPP negotiations last month, is now working out its strategy for talks on tariff issues, including the handling of rice and four other sensitive agricultural product categories for the country. Aiming to conclude the 12-nation TPP negotiations by the end of the year, the U.S. government is planning to accelerate talks on tariff cuts and elimination and other issues related to market access where progress has been slow. The focal point of the upcoming talks between Froman and Japanese officials will thus be whether the two sides can have in-depth discussions on such sensitivities, sources familiar with the matter said. Froman will stop in Tokyo before visiting Brunei for a meeting of economic ministers of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Aug. 20-24. In Brunei, he will also attend TPP ministerial talks on Aug. 22-23, which will be held in tandem with the 19th plenary talks among the 12 TPP negotiating countries. At the TPP ministerial meeting, participants will "discuss key outstanding issues and chart a course for the expeditious conclusion of a TPP agreement," the Office of the USTR said in a statement. END

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