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TPP首脳声明 交渉加速へ「聖域」絞り込みを

The Yomiuri Shimbun October 10, 2013
Govt should narrow down ‘sanctuary’ categories to accelerate TPP talks
TPP首脳声明 交渉加速へ「聖域」絞り込みを(10月9日付・読売社説)

Japan, the United States and other countries participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations have put off their goal of quickly reaching a broad agreement. It will be difficult for them to reach a conclusion by the end of this year so they must reshape their strategy.
 日米など参加国が目標にしてきた「大筋合意」は見送られた。年内妥結への道は険しく、戦略立て直しが課題だ。

Leaders from the 12 countries involved in the TPP negotiations met in Indonesia and adopted a statement on Tuesday.
 12か国による環太平洋経済連携協定(TPP)交渉の首脳会合がインドネシアで開かれ、首脳声明を採択した。

The leaders’ statement emphasized, “We have agreed that negotiators should now proceed to resolve all outstanding issues with the objective of completing this year a comprehensive and balanced, and regional agreement.”
 首脳声明は、「包括的でバランスの取れた協定を年内妥結するため、残された困難な課題の解決に取り組む」と強調した。

The 12 countries initially expected to reach a broad agreement in Indonesia to conclude the TPP negotiations by the end of this year. However, the United States and emerging economies were unable to resolve differences over such areas as intellectual property rights and competition policy. The 12 countries also shelved talks over tariff elimination.
 12か国は当初、年内決着に向け、インドネシアで大筋合意するシナリオだったが、知的財産権や競争政策などを巡って、米国と新興国の対立が解けなかった。関税撤廃の交渉も棚上げされた。

The fact that the 12 countries gave up reaching a broad agreement highlighted the difficulties of negotiations in which participating countries’ interests are intricately tangled. The abrupt absence of U.S. President Barack Obama, a facilitator in the TPP negotiations, also diminished the momentum of the talks.
 大筋合意の断念は、複雑に利害が絡む交渉の難しさを浮き彫りにした。推進役であるオバマ米大統領の突然の欠席も、交渉の勢いを減退させた一因だろう。

The focus of attention from now on will be whether the participating countries can accelerate negotiations.
 今後の焦点は、交渉を加速できるかどうかである。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is right in saying, “We must make this [the TPP] the first step toward the creation of a great, free economic zone in the Asia-Pacific region.” We hope the TPP will help Japan harness the economic vitality of other Asian countries to boost its own growth.
 安倍首相が「アジア太平洋の大きな自由経済圏の第一歩にしなければならない」と述べたのはもっともだ。アジアの活力を取り込み、成長に弾みをつけたい。

Treating special items

An unavoidable issue is how to treat the five agricultural categories, such as rice, wheat and dairy products, which the Liberal Democratic Party demands should be regarded as “sanctuaries” that are exempt from eliminating tariffs.
 避けて通れないのは、自民党が関税撤廃の「聖域」として求めているコメ、麦、乳製品など農産品5項目の扱いだ。

Koya Nishikawa, chairman of the LDP’s TPP committee, said Sunday, “We have to consider whether [some products in the five categories] can be eliminated [from a list of items for which tariffs will be maintained].” His remark drew a backlash from some LDP members and agricultural organizations.
 同党の西川公也TPP対策委員長が、「(関税維持対象から)抜けるか抜けないかを検討する」と述べたことで、党内の一部や農業団体などが反発している。

However, we believe it is quite natural and proper for Japan to closely examine the sanctuary categories.
 だが、聖域の精査は、日本として当然の対応ではないか。

Although the TPP adopts a principle of eliminating tariffs on all items, participating countries are discussing a liberalization rate, a percentage of trade items that will be tariff-free. It is highly likely Japan will be urged to achieve a liberalization rate of above 95 percent.
 TPPでは関税撤廃を原則としながらも、全貿易品目のうち関税を撤廃する割合を示す自由化率が議論されている。日本は90%台後半を求められる可能性が高い。

The five agricultural categories cover 586 products in tariff classifications, with the rice category alone comprising 58 items. If tariffs are maintained for all those items, the liberalization rate will be only 93.5 percent.
 農産品5項目は関税分類でコメ58品目など計586品目あるが、これらをすべて維持すれば、自由化率は93・5%にとどまる。

In preparation for an acceleration in the TPP negotiations, Japan must narrow down the sanctuary categories. Otherwise it will not be able to fully exert its negotiating power. The government must quickly have specific discussions over what items Japan should preferentially protect and on which items Japan should make concessions to best serve the overall national interest.
 交渉加速に備え、586品目の「聖域」を絞り込まないと、交渉力も十分に発揮できまい。優先的に何を守り、何を譲ることが国益に資するのか。政府は具体的な検討を急がねばならない。

Rather than simply being defensive, it is also important for Japan to go on the front foot, for example, by capturing markets in emerging economies with its intellectual property.
 守るだけでなく、知財で新興国市場を攻略するなど、攻めの姿勢を強化することも重要だ。

With negotiations over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia getting started, the future goal is to create a wider Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
 東アジア包括的経済連携(RCEP)も動き出し、より広いアジア太平洋自由貿易地域(FTAAP)作りが将来の目標になる。

Japan, which started later than South Korea in forming economic partnerships with other countries, must make up for this loss by leading trade liberalization. Japan’s negotiating power to better utilize different free-trade frameworks will certainly be put to the test.
 韓国に経済連携で出遅れた日本は、貿易自由化を主導して挽回しなければならない。複数構想を使い分ける交渉力が問われる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 9, 2013)
(2013年10月9日01時52分 読売新聞)
by kiyoshimat | 2013-10-11 07:44 | 英字新聞

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