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TPP Commission

On January 19, 2019, Prime Minister Abe attended the First Trans-Pacific Partnership Commission held in Tokyo.

In his opening address, the Prime Minister said,

“I would like to offer my heartfelt welcome to the representatives of the TPP 11 (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) countries on your visit to Japan. On December 30 last year, the TPP 11 agreement entered into force. I am very pleased that Japan is holding the First TPP Commission and I have an opportunity to say a few words for you on this occasion.

An enormous economic zone with a population of 500 million people and GDP of 10 trillion dollars will be born. The TPP is the dawn of the century of the Asia-Pacific; historians in the future will certainly evaluate it in that way. I express my deep respect for the efforts being made until today by all of the people involved since more than ten years ago when the TPP was envisaged.

At this point, several member countries are still processing their designated domestic procedures for the entry into force of the agreement. I expect that these processes will be accelerated and the TPP 11 will be completed at the earliest possible time.

We must continue to move forward. We should actively spread the high-level, free and fair rules incorporated in this agreement to the world.

I wish to take a big step forward in this milestone First TPP Commission. I hope that the procedures for new members to join the TPP will be thoroughly developed.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to call on the world to take action; our doors are open to all countries and regions that agree with our principles and are ready to accept the high standards of the TPP. I hope many countries that seek free and fair trade will participate in this agreement.

I am determined to make every effort to work together hand-in-hand with all of the TPP partners gathered here as a standard-bearer for free trade going forward. Please, let’s open up a new era of free and fair trade together.”