Top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told Kyodo News: "We have a feeling that the 11-nation framework should be given weight".
Those talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who are scheduled to discuss infrastructure investment, trade rules and macroeconomic policy.
But Trump, who took office in January pledging to pull the United States out of what he had labeled a "job-killing" free trade pact, has not opposed the remaining 11 nations following through on it.
While North Korea has been taking up the headlines of US Vice-President Pence's trip to South Korea and Japan, a little noticed meeting is taking place tomorrow in Tokyo that could spark the re-ignition of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement that new President Trump ditched nearly immediately after coming into office.
Instead of having America in the TPP, Japan may now seek closer bilateral ties with the USA instead.
The TPP was signed in February 2016 by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam - covering around 40% of the global economy.
United Airlines makes more policy changes
The policy change is meant to make sure incidents like the one earlier this month "never happen again", the spokeswoman said. American Airlines has said it won't remove a revenue passenger who is already on board to give a seat to another passenger.
Japan chose to move forward with the pact after it became clear that the United States would not oppose such an arrangement, Nikkei Asian Review reported. However, Japan has now become eager to take the lead in making the deal effective for the remaining 11 countries, the source said.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko raised the alternative plan to his Asean counterparts at an economic meeting in Osaka earlier this month.
Singapore said they will still be on board if consensus can be reached among all 11 parties. "We look forward to working with the others to find a way forward". Malaysia and Vietnam may be more reluctant to proceed as they joined and made concessions under the assumption that the USA would be involved.
One potential stumbling block in the negotiations is the issue of Japan's US$69 billion (S$96.3 billion) trade deficit with the US.
The US wants to focus on bilateral trade but Japan is said to be reluctant due to concern that it will be pressured to open up its farming and auto sectors.
Comments