TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament on Monday (January 23) he is confident the new U.S. President Donald Trump believed in free trade, and would be convinced of the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, and the contributions of Japanese firms to the U.S. economy.
“I believe President Trump understands the importance of free and fair trade, so I’d like to pursue his understanding on the strategic and economic importance of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) trade pact,” he said following questions by opposition leaders in parliament about the US’s commitment now that Trump was inaugurated.
“I believe we should look to explain how Japanese firms have contributed to the U.S. economy and gain an understanding,” he added.
Abe, speaking to parliament, also said there was no change to his view that Trump was a trustworthy leader and that he wanted to meet him as soon as possible.
Soon after Trump’s inauguration on Friday (January 20), a White House statement said its trade strategy to protect American jobs would start with withdrawal from the 12-nation TPP trade pact.
The TPP, which the United States signed but has not ratified, had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration’s “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China.
Proponents of the pact have expressed concerns that abandoning the project, which took years to negotiate, could further strengthen China’s economic hand in the region at the expense of the United States.
