Japan against free trade?

You might think so if the prime minister’s fight with his own party over the TPP is representative. Not that I would know. Reading one article of Japanese news a day is not what I would call an exhaustive knowledge of the subject.

野田首相「ＴＰＰが 公認の基準」 推進 への賛成が前提

【プノンペン＝稲垣直人】カンボジアを 訪問中の野田佳彦首相（民主党代表）は１ ９日夜、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ） について「私が（９月の党）代表選で掲 げたことが基本。きちんと守っていただく ことが公認の基準だ」と述べ、ＴＰＰ推進 方針への賛成が党公認の前提になるとの考 えを示した。 首相はＴＰＰ推進方針について「（党の 候補者が）大きく逸脱することは同じ党と しておかしい」と指摘。ただ、民主党内で はマニフェスト（政権公約）のとりまとめ をめぐってＴＰＰ推進方針への反発も出て おり、公認をめぐって党内が混乱する可能 性がある。 また、首相は総選挙の争点について「道 半ばの改革を前に進めるのか、昔の古い政 治に戻るのか。焦点となるのはエネルギー だ」と強調し、脱原発を争点にしたいとの 考えを示した。 http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/1119/TKY201211190787.html

Prime Minister Noda says “The TPP was part of the public platform,” defining agreement as a prerequisite for continuing

Prime Minister Yoshihiro (leader of the Democratic Party of Japan), who is currently visiting Cambodia, said about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) that, “I made this a main point in the [September party] leadership election. Carefully keeping that promise requires making it official policy,” indicating that the party must officially agree prior to advancing the TPP agenda.

Concerning the TPP advancement policy, the prime minister pointed out that, “It is strange to have [Party candidates] who deviate from the party standard.” Opposition to the inclusion of pursuing the TPP in the DPJ’s party platform has appeared and getting officially recognized could cause chaos wihthin the party.

Also, the prime minister said about the points of contention in the general election, “Will we continue down the path of reform? Will we return to the politics of the past? The critical point will be energy production,” desiring to make reductions in nuclear power a major issue.