Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

　　　　　The Japanese government and ruling parties have given up on winning parliamentary approval on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement and related legislation during the current Diet session. It was Japan’s responsibility to take leadership in realizing the strategically important challenge to develop an advanced free economic order led by Japan and the United States. The postponement of TPP approval is very regrettable.

Regrettable decision to put off TPP legislation enactment
　　　　　At a special House of Representatives committee on the TPP legislation, the Democratic Party, the largest opposition group, has called for giving priority to the Kumamoto earthquake that hit Japan in mid-April rather than the TPP. The government and ruling parties have decided to postpone the TPP legislation enactment, concluding that opposition parties would not cooperate with the ruling camp in passing the legislation even if the current Diet session is extended beyond the planned adjournment on June 1 and that an attempt to win the approval during the current Diet session could affect the ruling parties’ performance in a House of Councilors election in July. They reportedly plan to seek the TPP legislation approval during an extraordinary Diet session in autumn.
　　　　　Do the ruling parties understand the importance of Japan’s early TPP approval? A senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker has told a university professor that Japan would not have to hurry up in approving the TPP as the U.S. Congress is expected to start deliberations on TPP implementation legislation at the earliest in the lame-duck period (between the presidential and congressional elections on November 8 and the convocation of the new Congress on January 3, 2017).
　　　　　Whether the deliberations on the TPP implementation legislation in the United States may start before the elections are evidently uncertain, as leaders of the Republican Party that control both the Senate and House are concerned about voters’ criticisms against the TPP. Among presidential hopefuls, Republican front-runner Donald Trump branded the TPP as “a disaster.” Democratic leading candidate Hillary Clinton said, ”As of today, I am not in favor of what I have learned about it,” as if having forgotten that she had been promoting the TPP as secretary of state during the first term of President Barack Obama’s administration.

Strategic significance of TPP
　　　　　As the United States is hesitant to approve the TPP, however, Japan should take leadership. The TPP is a strategic framework to enhance the free economic order led by Japan and the United States and check the development of a China-led international order. China is accelerating efforts to build a new international economic order by creating the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and advocating the so-called One Belt and One Road initiative to develop onshore and offshore economic corridors between China and Europe. As Japan does not have enough power to lead other Free World countries in the security field, it should play proactive, key roles in political and economic areas.
　　　　　The Japanese Diet should quickly approve the TPP to prod the U.S. Congress into enacting the TPP implementation legislation. It is important for Japan to take advantage of the TPP approval for demonstrating the Free World’s determination.
　　　　　In a recent speech for a candidate for a House of Representatives by-election in Hokkaido, Democratic Party leader Katsuya Okada said: “We have made them (the government and ruling parties) put off their top priority of the current Diet session. It was the victory of opposition parties and people supporting the opposition.” I believe that Okada was not against the TPP when the Democratic Party of Japan was in power. Lawmakers should not put party interests ahead of national interests by changing their principles.

Yasushi Tomiyama is Senior Fellow and Planning Committee Member at the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals.