Get the latest updates on Global trade for free!
Subscribe to our myFT Daily Digest email and receive a roundup of the latest Global trade news every morning.
The United States finds itself in a dispute with Japan over whaling, posing a threat to its major trade initiative in Asia. This disagreement arises just as President Joe Biden prepares to host a historic trilateral summit with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts. According to eight sources familiar with the situation, the US trade representative has been pressuring Japan to accept anti-whaling language in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. This framework, a 14-country trade deal launched by Biden in Tokyo last year, aims to economically counter China in Asia.
The US pressure has sparked anger in Tokyo, with some officials suggesting that Japan could withdraw from the agreement, which it initially supported to encourage American economic engagement in the region. A senior Japanese official emphasized that Japan would not participate in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework if it included any language prohibiting whaling, deeming it a non-negotiable issue for Tokyo.
This dispute has also exposed divisions within the US administration, as several officials oppose the approach taken by the US trade representative. Both the White House and the US trade representative declined to comment, while the Japanese prime minister’s office refrained from commenting due to ongoing negotiations.
In response to Japan’s opposition, the Biden administration plans to remove the provision dealing with whaling. Commercial whaling has been banned by the International Whaling Commission since 1986. Previously, Japan exploited a clause allowing whales to be killed for scientific research purposes, which received criticism from conservationists and other member countries of the International Whaling Commission.
Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and currently permits whale hunting only within its exclusive economic zone. However, the whaling issue remains politically sensitive in Tokyo, leading some US officials to argue that it should not jeopardize the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, as Japan played a crucial role in its launch. Christopher Johnstone, a former US government Japan expert, expressed skepticism about including whaling restrictions in the trade aspect of the framework, considering it of questionable value and likely to alienate Japan, a crucial partner for the United States in achieving successful results from the framework.
In addition to countering China, Japan and other participating countries support the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in the hopes that it will lead to the US joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. This significant trade agreement was salvaged by Tokyo after the US under then-president Donald Trump withdrew from its predecessor. Negotiations initially pushed for a complete ban on whaling, but the US trade representative later softened its stance. Nevertheless, Japan remains firm in its refusal to support any deal that includes whaling-related restrictions.
This rare dispute between close allies comes ahead of a summit at the Camp David retreat on August 18, where President Biden will host the Japanese prime minister and the South Korean president.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
