TAKING ACTION IN APEC
A FORTHRIGHT MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Japan's active approach to APEC is manifested in its involvement in the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI). It is a strong proponent of the progress being made in the compilation of a set of non-binding, fundamental principles for investment.
Meanwhile, at the Experts Meeting on Standards and Conformance, Japan submitted an Action Plan for promoting alignment with international standards. In this Action Plan, Japan called for:
- Identification of priority areas for case study according to the volume of regional trade within the Asia Pacific or to expectations among APEC members for harmonization;
- APEC members to participate actively in international standardization activities;
- Avoiding the establishment of APEC standards as a type of regional standard.
MAKING THE LEADERS' VISION STATEMENT A REALITY
At the Fifth Ministerial Meeting in Seattle, the Ministers welcomed the valuable analysis contained in Japan's paper on a vision for the region in the year 2000. They noted the importance of continued analysis of the major topics in the report, including liberalization of trade and investment, development of human resources and meeting environmental and energy resource challenges.
Japan wholeheartedly endorses the "triple Es" program--the simultaneous realization of Economic Growth, Energy Security and Environmental Protection--proposed in the Leaders' Vision Statement in Seattle, and foresees APEC playing an important role in advancing this program.
PRODUCING TANGIBLE RESULTS IN APEC WORKING GROUPS
Since the inception of APEC, japan has shown its readiness to take concrete action in the promotion of cooperation in the Asia Pacific. It functions as a shepherd country for four of APEC's ten working groups.
- Review of Trade and Investment Data
- Shepherds:
- United States, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia
- Purpose:
- Set up comparable or near-comparable databases on trade
in goods and services and on investment for APEC member
economies, in order to increase the utility of that data
and to improve regional consultation on data collection
methodology and practices.
- Investment and Industrial Science and Technology
- Shepherds:
- Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, People's Republic of China
- Purpose:
- Establish an investment and technical information
network, prepare industrial park manuals and organize
seminars on industrial technology.
- Asia-Pacific Multilateral Human Resources Development Initiative (HRD)
- Shepherds:
- Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Philippines, People's Republic of China
- Purpose:
- Establish a network among leading regional education and
research organizations with the aim of nurturing human
resources.
- Fisheries
- Shepherds:
- New Zealand, Japan, Thailand
- Purpose:
- Identify fish stocks in need of international management, study the current state of technical cooperation and review the activities of international bodies.
Back to Index
