The Policy Making Process in FTA Negotiations: A Case Study of Japanese Bilateral EPAs

Higashi Shigeki

No 138, IDE Discussion Papers from Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Abstract: This paper analyzes Japanese bilateral EPA negotiations, focusing on the areas that each country decided were most important, as well as which actors played the most important roles in each set of negotiations. The negotiations with Mexico and Thailand, which tried to increase agricultural exports to Japan through FTAs, will be discussed. Japan, one should note, still seeks to protect its agricultural sector in spite of the spread of liberalization. The Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia’s efforts to improve and compete in developing their automotive industries, in the face of the completion of AFTA in 2010, are also examined. In addition, this paper discusses whether economic cooperation, the essential Japanese strategy in EPA negotiations, alters the negotiation process in any significant way.

Keywords: FTA (Free Trade Agreement); EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement); Policy making; Japan; ASEAN; Southeast Asia; International economic relations; International agreements; International cooperation; 自由貿易協定; 経済連携協定; 政策立案; 日本; アセアン; 東南アジア; 国際経済; 国際協定; 国際協力 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D78 F13 L52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-03-01
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Published in IDE Discussion Paper = IDE Discussion Paper, No. 138. 2008-03-01

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