House Lawmakers Insist on Elimination of Japanese Ag Tariffs in TPP

The U.S. should not permit Japan to accede to a final Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact, unless the country eliminates tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. agricultural products, said lawmakers in an April 21 letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. The letter garnered 63 signatures, according to a spokesman for co-sponsor, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. Froman is accompanying President Barack Obama on his tour of four Asian countries this week, and many industry officials expect the pair to press market access concessions during the leg in Tokyo. “Not only would special treatment for sensitive agriculture products be inconsistent with U.S. requests in previous trade agreements and assurances provided when Japan was invited to join TPP, but also could undermine the careful balance of concessions the other eleven economies have achieved,” said the letter. “If Japan is allowed exemptions, other TPP countries could demand similar treatment and the entire agreement would be at risk of unraveling.” Japan continues to resist tariff elimination on rice, pork and beef, wheat, dairy and sugar (see 14042113).