Japan's Position

Yohei Kono

Remarks by Minister Yohei Kono,

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan

(Introduction)

Now I would like to explain Japan's thinking on the key points of the Action Agenda.

(Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation)

First of all, I think it is important that we all share a common understanding about Part One of the Action Agenda on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation through our discussion.
1. On the principle of comprehensiveness, I would like to make it very clear that Japan supports the principle that the APEC liberalization and facilitation process should address all sectors and measures. At the same time, we also recognize that there are diverse circumstances among the APEC member economies such as different levels of economic development, socio-economic systems and cultures, and naturally each member encounters different kinds of difficulties in promoting liberalization. Therefore, it is realistic that flexibility will be available in the liberalization and facilitation process. I believe that all APEC members realize this, and acknowledging this clearly enhances the credibility of the Action Agenda. I am of the view that flexibility will be available not only with regard to the pace but also the ways, modalities and so forth of liberalization and facilitation.
2. Next, on the principle of comparability, I would first like to point out that the basic thrust of APEC is how best to strengthen the momentum for voluntary liberalization in the region. For this purpose, we have adopted the approach of concerting members' voluntary efforts on the basis of mutual trust. We believe this approach is highly effective for the Asia-Pacific region and we would like to nurture this approach. Because of this, the APEC liberalization and facilitation should be implemented not by an excessively negotiation-like framework. At the same time, APEC liberalization is based upon shared responsibility as well as mutual trust, and it is necessary to maintain comparability among each members' efforts. Thus Japan supports the incorporation of a framework for this purpose in the Action Agenda.
3. Japan attaches importance to the principle of WTO-consistency. Japan is strongly committed to maintaining and strengthening the multilateral free trading system, and strongly supports the development of APEC as a framework for open regional cooperation which is consistent with the WTO Agreement. Japan welcomes all APEC members to accede to the WTO as early as possible, and hopes that accession negotiations of People's Republic of china and Chinese Taipei will be concluded soon.
4. On the principle of non-discrimination, Japan attaches importance to it in light of sending a message that APEC members will work to promote liberalization vis-à-vis non-APEC members for the same reasons which underpin the principle of WTO-consistency. At the same time, given that APEC is striving to develop toward a regional community, non-discrimination within APEC should be ensured as a premise for non-discrimination vis-à-vis non-APEC economies, and I am pleased that we have reached a consensus on this principle.
Section C entitled "Actions in Specific Areas" is very significant in that it stipulates, for the first time in the history of APEC, specific and concrete measures for liberalization and facilitation as APEC actions in the region.

(Economic and Technical Cooperation)

Given the economic diversity among the APEC economies, it will only be possible to create an effective environment for dynamic economic development within the region when economic and technical cooperation is promoted together with our efforts to liberalize trade and investment. As this is our view, Japan has placed importance upon economic and technical cooperation within APEC.
1. While economic and technical cooperation covers a wide range of areas, it is imperative that, in order for cooperation activities to be truly meaningful, member economies must not simply build projects one atop the other but share objectives and directions for cooperation. Realizing this, we regard the Action Agenda's inclusion of common policy concepts setting forth the goals, basic principles, and priorities for each area as important progress, and we hope that the Working Groups and other fora will utilize these guidelines in their future activities.
2. It is essential that all APEC economies promote cooperation within APEC as equal partners in the spirit of mutual assistance and voluntarism, mobilizing their expertise, experience, resources, and other strengths to best effect. Partners for Progress that Japan proposed and that won the support of the other APEC economies thus provides a new mechanism for such cooperation. I believe that we feel it is appropriate that this be promoted for the time being with the focus on cooperation in support of such urgent issues for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation as standards and certification, industrial property rights, and competition policy.

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