Japan-Canada trade talks stalled with no meetings in sight
Business
Japan-Canada trade talks stalled with no meetings in sight
Trade talks have stalled between Canada and Japan — one of the Harper government's priority countries for a breakthrough — because the Asian country has lost interest. An internal memo from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development says the level of progress with Japan has failed to meet expectations since talks opened in March 2012. The memo says Japan is more interested in the ongoing 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership talks with several of its neighbours as well as Canada, the United States, Mexico and Australia.
While some progress has been made in the CJEPA negotiations with seven rounds to date, overall, the CJEPA text remains less developed than expected after three years of negotiations.
internal memo from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
The memo says Japan turned down two proposals by Canada to host an eighth round of talks in early 2015 and would prefer to see that happen after the next Trans-Pacific ministerial meeting. "Chief negotiators met in Tokyo April 9-10 to discuss a way forward, but Japan remains unwilling to agree to a date for the next round without more clarity on the TPP timeline and outcomes."
We're just in the process of trying to nail down exactly where that round will take place.
Trade Minister Ed Fast