April 7, 2014

JAMA Comment on Agreement in Principle on a Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement

Akio Toyoda, Chairman, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.

JAMA warmly welcomes the agreement reached today by Japan and Australia on an economic partnership agreement (EPA).  Initiated in 2007, Japan’s talks with Australia on this issue over the past seven years have proved to be a long and rigorous process.  We would like to extend our profound appreciation to the Japanese government officials who have invested so much time and effort in bringing these negotiations to their current juncture.

For its part, the Japanese automobile industry is determined to supply, in line with this agreement, a broader range of fine products and services geared to the needs of consumers, and thereby contribute to the forging of even closer economic ties between Japan and Australia.

JAMA also hopes that this agreement will prove instrumental in accelerating the progress not only of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and [East Asia] Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations in which both Japan and Australia are engaged, but also of the various ongoing talks aimed at concluding free trade agreements, including one between Japan and the European Union.