WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today issued the following statement after the Administration expressed their support for Japan to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations:
“This is an important and welcome development. American goods and products have faced market access barriers to Japan for decades. Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership is an historic opportunity to open up one of the world’s largest export markets to the benefit of both of our countries. By supporting Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Administration must believe that Japan has the ability and political will to meet the high-standard, comprehensive commitments that have long defined U.S. trade agreements. I sincerely hope that is the case. I look forward to consulting closely with the Administration to ensure that our negotiations with Japan achieve real market access for American goods and services. "
