May 19 (Japan Today) - Japan's lower house on Friday passed a bill to ratify the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact, paving the way for its enactment before the current Diet session ends in June.
Following the U.S. withdrawal, Japan and the other 10 countries hope to see the pact, renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, take effect by the end of the year.
The agreement will enter into force 60 days after at least six countries ratify it. Mexico has already done so.
The bill will now be sent to House of Councillors, where it would automatically be approved 30 days later even if the chamber cannot come to agreement. Thus Friday's approval by the House of Representatives sets the stage for the bill's enactment by the June 20 end of the current regular Diet session.
Still before Japan implements the pact, the Diet needs to pass legislation to protect domestic farmers and intellectual property rights.
The 11 countries signed the renegotiated pact in March, covering over 13 percent of global economic activity.
When the pact, also known as TPP 11, takes effect, consumers can gain access to cheaper agriculture produce and other products. It freezes the application of 22 provisions such as on intellectual property that were in the original pact.
Japan hopes to ensure the pact soon comes into force as the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is promoting free trade at a time of growing concern over protectionism under U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tokyo is also seeking to encourage the United States, which favors bilateral deals under Trump, to return to the TPP. Trump has expressed interest in rejoining the pact if the United States can get a "substantially better" agreement.
