OSAKA (Jiji Press) — Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states agreed to work together to promote free trade at a meeting of their economic ministers in the western Japan city of Osaka on Saturday.
In a joint statement, participants said they will aim to create “high-quality” trade and investment rules in negotiations on the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade pact among 16 Asia-Pacific countries.
High-quality rules will be pursued in areas including customs procedure facilitation and intellectual property right protection.
“We have made a good start toward the realization of a high-quality RCEP,” Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko, who cochaired the meeting, said after the meeting.
The meeting produced a positive message to promote global free trade, Seko stressed.
In the statement, adopted at the meeting, Japan and the ASEAN states reaffirmed that they will aim to conclude an RCEP deal at an early date as sought by the ASEAN side.
Japan proposed economic cooperation measures for nurturing human resources and supporting small companies in ASEAN countries. Details of the cooperation will be set later.
With signs of protectionism increasing globally, including the United States’ withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in January, the importance of RCEP is growing as a possible free trade framework in the Asia-Pacific region.
The 16 RCEP negotiation members include Japan, China, South Korea and the 10 ASEAN states.
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
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more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
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against serious violations of protocols of
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Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
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October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
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