Society

Motegi: 11 TPP countries reconfirm broad agreement

Nov 11 (NHK) - Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister says all the 11 signatory nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal have reconfirmed their broad agreement to put the deal into effect without the United States.

Toshimitsu Motegi is among ministers from 11 countries that in principle reached the agreement at a meeting in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang on Thursday.

The agreement was to be confirmed at the summit meeting scheduled for Friday, but was postponed.

That came as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in a meeting before the planned summit that member countries were not ready to confirm the agreement.

This led TPP ministers from the 11 countries to hold a new round of talks on Friday.

Motegi told reporters that Canada's delegation said it had gained consent from the top leader.

Motegi also said it would be difficult to hold a summit due to the schedules of the leaders. He said he and his co-chair, Vietnamese Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh, will publicize the content of the agreement and release ministers' statement on Saturday.

Motegi said the Canadians had expressed clear support for the broad agreement on Thursday, and added that this time the country confirmed all the details including wording.

Top leaders of TPP signatory countries are in Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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