Japan to offer tariff cuts on goods from poor nations
BANGKOK: Japan is willing to completely open its doors to most goods from
the world's poorest countries provided that other major nations follow suit,
a Japanese official said Saturday.
European nations have reacted positively to Japan's proposal to slash quotas
and duties on most goods from the least developed countries, but the United
States has been less warm to the idea, the official said.
Japan also plans to provide training over the next five years for about
2,500 trade officials from poor countries to help their countries benefit
more from free trade rules set by the World Trade Organization, said the
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi is in Bangkok to attend a U.N. trade
conference and meet with leaders of the Association of South-East Asian
nations. He is expected to tell delegates at the U.N. Conference on Trade
and Development that Japan hopes donor countries, including Japan, will
accelerate plans to forgive debts owed by poor nations for past development
loans.
Japan is concerned, however, that debt relief will reduce the amount of
money available in donor countries for future aid, the official said. In his
talks with ASEAN leaders, Obuchi is expected to discuss plans for
implementing a $500 million aid package for South-east Asia announced in
November that focuses on training and development of human resources.
The package of grants, dubbed the "Obuchi Plan," was formulated after a
high-level Japanese mission visited Southeast Asia and concluded that the
kess Japanese contributions to plans to develop the Mekong River Basin,
which includes four of ASEAN's poorest members - Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and
Vietnam.(AP)
For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
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