LDP, Komeito against hasty TPP decision

Japan's main opposition parties say the government is too hasty in trying to announce its intention this week about joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks.

In an NHK TV debate program on Sunday morning, the ruling Democratic Party's Diet affairs chief, Hirofumi Hirano, said the party is trying to gain its own consensus about the TPP before Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda leaves for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next weekend.

Hirano said the party is discussing how to cope with the issue to protect Japan's interests, while pursuing the objective of opening up the country.

But his counterpart in the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party, Fumio Kishida, said the public does not yet have a sufficient understanding of the issue as the government has failed to disclose information.

Kishida also noted concerns about the government's negotiating ability. He said many lawmakers in his party are cautious.

Yoshio Urushibara, the Diet affairs chief of the second largest opposition New Komeito, said participation in the TPP will pose major problems for agriculture, health care, and the service sector.

Urushibara said the government is too hasty in making a decision without a full discussion of the advantages and disadvantages and how to deal with the problems.

The Sunrise Party also cautioned against a hasty decision.

The Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, and the governing party's junior coalition partner, the People's New Party, say that Japan should not participate.

The opposition Your Party came out in favor of Japan joining the talks.

Sunday, November 06, 2011 23:06 +0900 (JST)