Politic-Economic-Society-Tech

Concerned Tanaka relieved at end of Japan-China trade row

Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who earlier this week expressed concern over how Japan is handling the trade row with China, said Friday she is relieved that the two sides were able to resolve the row over import curbs on agricultural products which mostly come from China.
''As of today, I am relieved that the outcome turned out good. The negotiations were very delicate and difficult...but I feel I saw the fruit of negotiations carried out until the last moment,'' Tanaka said.

The foreign minister had admitted that she was concerned the government kept to negotiations to settle the issue, as was reported Wednesday by an international news agency.

''I thought we should have analyzed the information well, made a decision, and showed a certain direction (in the negotiations)...I felt Japan should have made the decision to impose the safeguards at an early time,'' Tanaka told a press conference.

She said the insistence of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his cabinet of talking over the issue allowed time pass, prompting her concerns that the situation would deteriorate if the negotiations were unsuccessful.

''In the end, it worked out, so I am relieved. But there were issues of timing. When we have to make decisions, we must go ahead and do so. We cannot show a good face to everyone. I learned that keeping things ambiguous creates a difficult situation,'' Tanaka said.

She said the decision should have been made in consideration of China's position in Asia and the world as well as Tokyo's interests not only in the agricultural field but various other fields in terms of its ties with Beijing.

Tanaka said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that Japan should take a more hard-line approach toward China in the ongoing dispute and ''say clearly that it will impose safeguard (import curbs).''

''Considering China's entry into the WTO (World Trade Organization), for Japan to keep trying to settle the issue through talks is, I think, a mistake,'' she reportedly said, while the two sides were making last-ditch efforts to reach an agreement.

According to the deal reached Friday in Beijing, Japan will not impose four-year import curbs on the farm products -- stone leeks, shiitake mushrooms and rushes used for tatami mats -- while China will remove its retaliatory tariffs on Japanese cars, mobile telephones and air conditioners.


source: Kyodo News, 22 Dec 2001