WTO Tokyo Informal Ministerial Meeting

January 28, 2003

The Government of Japan will host a WTO Informal Ministerial Meeting from February 14th to 16th in Tokyo.
The meeting will be presided by Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi. Ministers from 25 Members in various parts of the world, including Japan, United States of America, European Commission, China, and Australia, along with WTO Director General Supachai Panitchpakdi, are expected to participate in this meeting.
Participants will review the progress of the trade negotiations launched at the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference held in November 2001 in Doha, and will discuss measures to advance the negotiations as part of the preparations toward the 5th Ministerial Conference scheduled from September 10th to 14th in Cancun, Mexico. Issues to be discussed at the Tokyo Informal Ministerial Meeting include agriculture, non-agricultural products, services, development-related issues, and the Singapore issues (i.e. investment, competition, trade facilitation, transparency in government procurement).
Japan has benefited from the multilateral trading system under the GATT/WTO, and attaches importance to the advancement of the Doha Round negotiations. Through hosting this meeting among others, the Government of Japan intends to greatly contribute to meeting the respective "deadlines" and advance the entire negotiation process.

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