Abstract
Some people emphasize that The TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) will become a dominant trade rule covering all Asian—Pacific countries, but it’s not true. The U.S. has proposed the TPP to block the East Asian FTA. Asian countries will be divided by the TPP. China, Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia will not enter the TPP. The TPP requires complete elimination of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. It is nearly impossible for most East Asian farmers to compete with the U.S. and Australian large scale farmers without tariffs. East Asian countries need new rules more favorable to small-scale farmers by forming a FTA only by Asian countries to generate a countervailing power against the TPP. Therefore, Japan should not enter the TPP negotiation, but should lead the substantial discussion for creating a flexible and mutually beneficial East Asian FTA, like the ASEAN+3 (China,Korea, and Japan).
