Japan trade talks set to start
The Australian, Canberra
Japan trade talks set to start
21 September 2006
The Federal Government has flagged the possibility of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan, beginning in December.
Trade Minister Mark Vaile says Canberra and Tokyo are looking at wrapping up their current feasibility study into launching negotiations for an FTA.
If the study is positive, Mr Vaile said negotiations for an FTA could begin in December and would be announced by Prime Minister John Howard and new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asian Summit in the Philippines.
Mr Vaile said he discussed the plan with Japan’s retiring agriculture minister Shoichi Nakagwa at the Cairns Group trade meeting in Queensland today.
"Certainly I had quite a positive response from minister Nakagawa," he said.
Australia already has free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore and Thailand is negotiating deals with China, Malaysia and the Association of South East Asian Nations.
