Japan-Singapore Economic Agreement for a New Age Partnership
- Joint Study Group Report (Preamble) -

September 28, 2000

In December 1999, Japan and Singapore announced the establishment of a Joint Study Group to examine the feasibility and desirability of establishing a free trade agreement between the two countries.

The Joint Study Group has now completed its work and recommends that:

1. the Prime Ministers of Japan and Singapore make a joint announcement, at an appropriate location and timing in October or November 2000, that the two countries intend to enter into formal negotiations with a view to concluding an economic partnership agreement between them;
   
   
2. the negotiations begin at an earliest possible timing, targeting January 2001, and be concluded within a reasonably short period of time so as not to lose momentum; and
   
   
3. given that the scope of negotiations will transcend the focus of a traditional free trade agreement, the resulting Government-to-Government agreement should henceforth be referred to as the Japan-Singapore Economic Agreement for a New Age Partnership.
   
   

On behalf of the Joint Study Group, we, the Co-chairmen, herewith submit our report.

Related Information (Japan-Singapore Relations)