We Support Japan's Plan To Join TPP, Says Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed says Malaysia supports Japan's intention to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). Asked on potential delays to ongoing negotiations on the TPP, Mustapa said: "We do not want to preempt anything. Firstly, we have not been officially notified yet." Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mustapa said all the rules and procedures have to be presented to the nine TPP members and if they agree by consensus, Japan will be part of the team. The TPP members are Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. To date, nine rounds of negotiations have been held. "In general, whatever new country comes in, they have to take on board what had been agreed before. In the case of Malaysia, we came in round three. What had been discussed and agreed upon in the first and second rounds, we have to take them on board," Mustapa said. He said Japan is expected to officially notify its interest in the TPP subject to the agreement of the other nine countries. It was reported that Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda plans to announce his country's intention to join the TPP free-trade pact at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii from Nov 10-13. -- BERNAMA