WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) made the following statement today after the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership nations announced its intent to allow Japan into the TPP negotiations:
As indicated in the announcement of the formal invitation for Japan to join the TPP negotiations, Japan's participation does underscore the economic significance of TPP. But it also clearly underscores how indispensable it is that during the 90-day period provided for the Administration's consultation with Congress both the problems as well as the opportunities posed by Japan's participation are fully probed.
Japan enters TPP negotiations as the largest economy, with totally closed markets in many agricultural markets and in all portions of the automotive market. The need for a thorough discussion at the very onset is highlighted by the statement of the senior Japanese official that 'Japan will aim to secure tariffs on agricultural products.'
In automotive, given the huge trade deficit between our two countries and Japan's history of the most closed auto market in the world, and the negative economic consequences of that history, the onus is precisely on Japan to change before receiving any benefit through TPP negotiations.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
* LETTER: Levin’s April 10 Letter to the Administration on Consequences of Japan’s closed market
* SIDE-BY-SIDE: Japanese and American Auto Markets At a Glance
* GRAPHIC: Our Massive Auto Trade Deficit with Japan is Growing Even As Japan’s Domestic Economy is Stagnant
* FACT SHEET: What Do American Businesses and Workers Get Out of Japan Joining TPP?
