Imperial Headquarters Announcement

“Announcement of the Imperial Headquarters” has been a synonym of fake information in post-war Japan. During the war, that organization of propaganda reported destruction of U.S. aircraft carriers that still existed, and victory in which Japan had actually been defeated. The delegation of Japan to the negotiation of Trans-Pacific Partnership is doing the same thing as the Imperial Headquarters, reporting that Japan has quite a good chance to handle the negotiation. As long as Japan seeks the goal to set the exception on some agricultural goods, there will be no victory in TPP. The government of Japan should not hide the truth that the negotiation is to eliminate those kinds of exceptions.

One thing the delegation insisted was that the participation in the negotiation was not too late to take initiative, emphasizing that the discussion over tariff had less been deepened than expected. “It is possible for Japan to join substantial discussion,” told Kouji Tsuruoka, the head of Japanese delegation, in a press conference. The meeting Japan joined was, however, the eighteenth round of the negotiation. It might be starting a football game at two-minute warning of the last quarter with the score of 0-18.

Although Japan’s most focusing point was to set exceptions in tariff on five agricultural goods, --rice, wheat, beef/pork, dairy products and raw materials of sweetness--, Tsuruoka strangely did not appeal those crucial interests for Japan in the meeting. While he explained that “Every party knows Japan’s standpoint without any explicit words,” other delegations reportedly expressed strange feeling on Japan’s attitude.

Some newspapers reported the comment of an officer of Japan Business Federation, or Kaidanren, that he expected to set rules along with Japan’s interest, reflencting ridiculous optimism of Japan. On its base, there is the structure of Japan economy, which heavily depends on industries and almost ignores agriculture. While Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, reiterates that he will protect national interest of Japan, the definition of “national interest” is different on which side of economy a man belongs to.

The government of Japan is responsible for this separation. It is traditional way for the government to deceive farmers, for example in taxation or regulation, for centuries. It has historically been oppressive rather than supportive for farmers. The appeals of farmers for protecting agriculture should not necessarily be the resistance against TPP itself. The point is how to improve the productivity and competitiveness of agriculture. Unfortunately, Ministry of Agriculture has almost no idea to do that, insisting on how to control the frustration of farmers.