The Japanese government on Friday greeted with cautious optimism the news that U. S. President Donald Trump is willing to explore re-entering the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, while stressing that Washington should accept the original terms. « If this means that President Trump is correctly evaluating the significance and
The Japanese government on Friday greeted with cautious optimism the news that U. S. President Donald Trump is willing to explore re-entering the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, while stressing that Washington should accept the original terms.
« If this means that President Trump is correctly evaluating the significance and effects of the TPP, it’s something we want to welcome, » Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan’s minister in charge of the TPP, said after a Cabinet meeting.
But he added: « The 11 participating countries share the thinking that it would be extremely difficult to take out part of the TPP and renegotiate or change it. »
He said Japan wants to ascertain Trump’s thoughts on trade policy through a summit between the U. S. leader and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Florida next week.
Trump directed U. S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, to look into rejoining the pact in a meeting on Thursday with lawmakers and state governors, according to Republican senators who were at the meeting.
