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Full Text of TPP Trade Deal Revealed – and Critics Say It’s Even Worse Than They Thought

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Full Text of TPP Trade Deal Revealed – and Critics Say It’s Even Worse Than They Thought

The TPP could not be agreed if correct information about it is reported. However, it is an agreement in favor of the One Percent who control the world. Since they control the media, the part against the people’s interests is never been reported. At any rate, the agreement has to be finally approved by the U.S. Congress and the Japan‘s Diet. However, I think that few Congress or Diet members have a strong will to refuse the TPP under existing conditions.

The TPP is a big step toward realizing the New World Order. Regrettably, democracy that does not function properly has no power to stop it. It is not until you become salves that you can understand what the TPP is all about. It would be too late. We are facing an ultimate choice between the two: we will establish a trade agreement which enslaves humans or we will fall into the most painful hell together with the people who have not prepared against financial collapse. No matter whenever it may be, financial collapse will inevitably occur.

November 13, 2015

Masatoshi Takeshita

Excerpt from a Japanese article: Overseas News Never Reported by Mass Media – November 13, 2015 –

Full Text of TPP Trade Deal Revealed – and Critics Say It’s Even Worse Than They Thought

Source:

www.democracynow.org/2015/11/6/full_text_of_tpp_trade_deal

The details are out on the the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and critics say the trade deal is worse than they feared. Activists around the world have opposed the TPP, warning it will benefit corporations at the expense of health, the environment, free speech and labor rights.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: One of the biggest and most secretive trade deals in history has finally been revealed in full—and critics say it’s even worse than they thought. On Thursday, the complete text of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership was released after years of closely guarded talks. The TPP was agreed to last month between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. The group represents 40 percent of the world’s economy. It will set common standards in areas including employment, food safety, the Internet, corporate governance and intellectual property. It also establishes new tribunals under which corporations can sue governments for laws that affect their profits. The legal mechanism is called the investor-state dispute settlement, or ISDS. Activists around the world have opposed the TPP, warning it will benefit corporations at the expense of public health, the environment, free speech and labor rights.

AMY GOODMAN: With the fine print now disclosed, the TPP’s opponents say their worst fears have been confirmed. …. it intends to ratify the TPP, starting a 90-day review period before President Obama can seek final approval. The Senate has granted Obama the authority to fast-track the TPP and present it to Congress for a yes-or-no vote with no amendments allowed. Lawmakers will face heavy lobbying from wealthy TPP backers, but grassroots opposition could play a role, too.

For more, we’re joined by Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, leading TPP critic.

LORI WALLACH: Well, it was worse than we expected.

One, in the area of access to affordable medicines, the TPP’s rules on patents, actually both for developing countries but also for us, would roll back that initial reform and make medicine more expensive in pretty dramatic ways.

Number two, the investor-state dispute resolution system is actually expanded out, in ways we should discuss, so that more kinds of laws can be attacked, and many more companies will be able to attack U.S. laws.

And then the third thing that was kind of a shocker is there is an expansion of the kind of attacks you can have on food safety, on imported food safety, which is really serious, because Malaysia and Vietnam, two of the TPP countries, are amongst the major importers of seafood and shrimp—a lot of their stuff gets stopped now for being unsafe—but this agreement would give them new rights to basically attack our stopping their stuff for food safety purposes and flood us with unsafe imports.

LORI WALLACH: Well, I think it’s very telling that yesterday the agribusiness industry was the only major industry that was extremely enthusiastic when the text came out. Well, they’re thinking of trying to jam our GMO foods into other countries. The TPP could mean poisonous food, that you can’t label from what country it comes from, on your kids’ plates. It could mean major public health issues.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Lori, I wanted to ask you—some groups came out against the agreement that you don’t usually associate with trade deals, like Doctors Without Borders and Human Rights Watch. Could you talk about their concerns?

LORI WALLACH: Yes. So, Doctors Without Borders, which basically, as everyone knows, is a major humanitarian group, is extremely concerned about what would happen with medicine prices. And this gets to the language I had mentioned, where I was shocked to see rollbacks of previous reforms that the Bush administration had made. So Big Pharma got a lot of goodies in this agreement. In a "free trade" agreement, we see new monopoly protections for Big Pharma. And so, Doctors Without Borders is basically pointing out that in a whole smorgasbord of policies, where Big Pharma was trying to use the TPP, the "good name of free trade," to put into place a bunch of new protections and privileges to raise medicine prices, they got their way. And the two biggest ones are—which is shocking rollbacks from the old U.S. trade standard, which was bad—is all the developing countries in TPP, including countries that are really poor, like Vietnam, ultimately have to have the same extreme patent standards, extreme exclusivities, that will just price people out of medicines. I mean, it will translate to people dying.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s what Doctors Without Borders said. This is U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on the impact of the TPP on research and access to life-saving drugs.

MICHAEL FROMAN: On biologics, as you know, this is one of the most challenging issues in the negotiation. We have worked cooperatively with all of our TPP parties—partners to secure a strong and balanced outcome, that both incentivizes the development of these new life-saving drugs while ensuring access to these pioneering medicines and their availability. And this is the first trade agreement in history to ensure a minimum period of protection for biologics.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s the U.S. trade representative, Michael Froman. Lori Wallach, your comment on both clips?

LORI WALLACH: ….. I mean, the bottom line is, most of the countries involved have no exclusivity for those kinds of cutting-edge drugs, which are a lot of the cutting-edge cancer cures—biologics—and now they will have five years, at a minimum. The industry says they got eight years. There will be enormous pressure to have more monopolies. And just think about the theory of this: a "free trade" agreement that stops competition. It stops the competition of generics that bring down prices. That is actually what’s in the text, whatever the U.S. officials are saying. We can read it now.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Well, Lori, where do we go from here? Obviously, there will soon be a 90-day period for Congress to vote on the fast-tracking of this bill.

LORI WALLACH:….. So, ostensibly, by the first week of February, the TPP could be signed.

….. the most important thing for all of us to think about, is it only becomes reality if Congress approves it. Now, we are behind the eight ball …. However, by five votes only did fast track pass. That means ….. if we have five members in the House of Representatives who say, "Oh, no, that is not what I signed up for," that’s the end of TPP. … we’re going to have to talk to our members of Congress, and we need to start now. … Grab a couple of your friends and your family, go tell your members of Congress you need that commitment. We can stop this.

Someone Finally Read Obama’s Secret Trade Deal And Admits The TPP “WILL Damage This Nation”

image: kaleido11 & rinf.com

Someone Finally Read Obama's Secret Trade Deal And Admits The TPP “WILL Damage This Nation”

The article shows that even advisors qualified to give advice on TPP cannot read the text of the TPP agreement. According to the article, advisors can ready “not actual underlying text but carefully edited summaries” and even if anyone who is familiar with its text could be jailed for disclosing its contents.” Such being the case, the American people cannot read the specific contents of the agreement.

Reportedly, when Senator Warren criticized Obama, he complained to her, saying “You should point out what is wrong with this trade agreement.” This is a good example of how dirty Obama is.

I can’t understand at all what convinces us that Obama belongs to Light, who apparently speaks for the shareholders of America’s multinational corporations. So I gave my comments on this question in articles dated May 10 and 12 on this blog.

This is apparently a question to SaLuSa. Reading the messages from SaLuSa dated April 10 and March 22, you can see why I have doubts about him. The messages say: “a leader such as President Obama ------ to carry you forward further into the Light” and “be assured he is of the Light.”

According to SaLuSa, it appears that it is a way to carry us forward further into the Light to have us promote the TPP negotiations and have people all over the world eat genetically modified foods produced by Monsanto. It is totally beyond my understanding. I wanted to examine SaLuSa’s real intentions and I asked him to answer my question properly.

I even though about the possibility that I would personally summon him if he should not answer my question. However, I didn’t need to do so. It was revealed that he had committed unforgivable crime, namely, treason against the Galactic Federation. SaLuSa, including not only his soul but physical body, has totally disappeared. I’m going to explain about it in detail at a later date.

Masatoshi Takeshita

May 28, 2015

Excerpt from a Japanese article: Overseas Articles Never Reported by Mass Media – May 27, 2015 –

Someone Finally Read Obama7s Secret Trade Deal And Admits The TPP “WILL Damage This Nation”

Source:

www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-05-19/someone-finally-read-obamas-secret-trade-deal-and-admits-tpp-will-damage-nation

(Excerpt)

There is a huge paradox surrounding what is supposed to be the crowning achievement of Obama's second term, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a bill whose contents virtually nobody is familiar with or will be before it passes into law.

Or to paraphrase Nancy Pelosi, "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."

And yet while everyone seems to have an opinion on the final formulation of the TPP bill, especially Elizabeth Warren and her circle of progressive democrats who have emerged as the bill's most vocal critics, the truth is that none have actually read it for the simple reason that anyone who is familiar with its text could be jailed for disclosing its contents.

Most transparent administration indeed.

In fact the only ones who are intimately familiar with the TPP's contents are those who drafted it: America's multinational corporations whose shareholders will be the biggest beneficiaries of the TPP.

And yet someone appears to have finally read Obama's TPP: that someone is Michael Wessel, a cleared liaison to two statutory advisory committees and a commissioner on the U.S. Trade Deficit Review Commission, as well as the international trade co-chair for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign.

Earlier today, Wessel wrote an article in Politico titled "I’ve Read Obama’s Secret Trade Deal. Elizabeth Warren Is Right to Be Concerned" which we agree with wholeheartedly because while one may or may not disgree whether the US economy will benefit from a trade agreement which anecdotally benefits large multinationals, it should be unanimous that America's transformation into a secretive, klepto-fascist state controlled by corporations is catastrophic for not only the republic but America's people, or at least those who are not among the 0.001% who stand to benefit from the TPP.

* * *

From Michael Wessel, first posted in Politico:

I’ve Read Obama’s Secret Trade Deal. Elizabeth Warren Is Right to Be Concerned.

"You need to tell me what’s wrong with this trade agreement, not one that was passed 25 years ago,” a frustrated President Barack Obama recently complained about criticisms of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). He’s right. The public criticisms of the TPP have been vague. That’s by design—anyone who has read the text of the agreement could be jailed for disclosing its contents. I’ve actually read the TPP text provided to the government’s own advisors, and I’ve given the president an earful about how this trade deal will damage this nation. But I can’t share my criticisms with you.

I can tell you that Elizabeth Warren is right about her criticism of the trade deal. We should be very concerned about what's hidden in this trade deal—and particularly how the Obama administration is keeping information secret even from those of us who are supposed to provide advice.

So-called “cleared advisors” like me are prohibited from sharing publicly the criticisms we’ve lodged about specific proposals and approaches. The government has created a perfect Catch 22: The law prohibits us from talking about the specifics of what we’ve seen, allowing the president to criticize us for not being specific.

To the administration, everyone who questions their approach is branded as a protectionist—or worse—dishonest. And they dismiss individuals like me who believe that, first and foremost, a trade agreement should promote the interests of domestic producers and their employees.

The text of the TPP, like all trade deals, is a closely guarded secret. That fact makes a genuine public debate impossible and should make robust debate behind closed doors all the more essential. But the ability of TPP critics like me to point out the deal’s many failings is limited by the government’s surprising and unprecedented refusal to make revisions to the language in the TPP fully available to cleared advisors.

Bill Clinton didn’t operate like this. During the debate on NAFTA, as a cleared advisor for the Democratic leadership, I had a copy of the entire text in a safe next to my desk and regularly was briefed on the specifics of the negotiations, including counterproposals made by Mexico and Canada. During the TPP negotiations, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has never shared proposals being advanced by other TPP partners. Today’s consultations are, in many ways, much more restrictive than those under past administrations.

All advisors, and any liaisons, are required to have security clearances, which entail extensive paperwork and background investigations, before they are able to review text and participate in briefings. But, despite clearances, and a statutory duty to provide advice, advisors do not have access to all the materials that a reasonable person would need to do the job. The negotiators provide us with “proposals” but those are merely initial proposals to trading partners. We are not allowed to see counter-proposals from our trading partners. Often, advisors are provided with updates indicating that the final text will balance all appropriate stakeholder interests but we frequently receive few additional details beyond that flimsy assurance.

Those details have enormous repercussions. For instance, rules of origin specify how much of a product must originate within the TPP countries for the resulting product to be eligible for duty-free treatment. These are complex rules that decide where a company will manufacture its products and where is will purchase raw materials. Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 62.5 percent of a car needed to originate within NAFTA countries. In the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, it was lowered to 50 percent. It further dropped to 35 percent in the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS). In essence, under our agreement with Korea, 65 percent of a car from South Korea could be made from Chinese parts and still qualify for duty-free treatment when exported to the U.S.

That fact is politically toxic, and for that reason, we should expect the TPP agreement to have higher standards. But will it reach the 62.5 percent NAFTA requirement? Or will it be only a slight improvement over KORUS? Without access to the final text of the agreement, it’s impossible to say.

State-owned enterprises may, for the first time, be addressed in the TPP. But, once again, the details are not clear. Will exemptions be provided to countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, all of which could be heavily impacted by such a rule? What will be the test to determine what is or is not acceptable behavior? Will injury be required to occur over a substantial period of time, or will individual acts of non-commercial, damaging trade practices be actionable? Again, it’s impossible to say for sure.

Advisors are almost flying blind on these questions and others.

Only portions of the text have been provided, to be read under the watchful eye of a USTR official. [[[Access, up until recently, was provided on secure web sites. But the government-run website does not contain the most-up-to-date information for cleared advisors.]]] To get that information, we have to travel to certain government facilities and sign in to read the materials. Even then, the administration determines what we can and cannot review and, often, they provide carefully edited summaries rather than the actual underlying text, which is critical to really understanding the consequences of the agreement.

Cleared advisors were created by statute to advise our nation’s trade negotiators. There is a hierarchal structure, starting with the USTR’s Advisory Committee on Trade Policy & Negotiations at the top—a committee that includes people like Steelworkers President Leo Gerard, Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga, Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson and Jill Appell, co-owner of Appell’s Pork Farms. Then there are specific Committees covering subjects like labor, the environment and agriculture that make up the next tier. The last tier consists of the Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACS), which focus on individual sectors such as steel and aerospace. At last count, there were more than 600 cleared advisors. The vast majority of them represent business interests.

In an effort to diminish criticism, USTR is now letting cleared advisors review summaries of what the negotiators have done.

How can we properly advise, without knowing the details?

Questions pervade virtually every chapter of the proposed agreement, including labor and the environment, investor-state, intellectual property and others. The answers to these questions affect the sourcing and investment decisions of our companies and resulting jobs for our people. Our elected representatives would be abdicating their Constitutional duty if they failed to raise questions.

Senator Warren should be commended for her courage in standing up to the President, and Secretary Clinton for raising a note of caution, and I encourage all elected officials to raise these important questions. Working Americans can’t afford more failed trade agreements and trade policies.

Congress should refuse to pass fast track trade negotiating authority until the partnership between the branches, and the trust of the American people is restored. That will require a lot of fence mending and disclosure of exactly what the TPP will do. That begins by sharing the final text of the TPP with those of us who won’t simply rubber-stamp it.

* * *

And then, moments ago: OBAMA SAYS HE'S `PLEASED' WITH DEAL IN CONGRESS ON TRADE

It almost makes one wonder just whom does "elected" government represent...

Show us the deal: Senators Warren, Manchin demand Obama disclose TPP

image: rollingstone.com & source

Show us the deal: Senators Warren, Manchin demand Obama disclose TPP

A bill which gives the president a fast-track authority (TPA bill) was rejected in the Congress. However, the bill was brought to a vote again and was passed by the Senate on 14. There are still many Democrats opposing to the TPP agreement in the House and reportedly, it remains uncertain how the bill will be finalized.

I feel something like obsession of the Obama administration. However, even though the U.S. is on the verge of collapse of a nation, I feel that the U.S., which is on the verge of collapse, cannot afford to negotiate about the TPP. If the public know the truth, there is even the possibility that they will get furious, go on a rampage and attack random the rich. The Obama administration tries to promote the TPP negotiations in spite of such situations. All I can think about is that the administration feels confident in suppressing the public with military power.

Since the TPP is a core bill of the New World Order (NWO), it apparently is against the will of God. Those who call Obama a person who sides with Light seem to be ignorant or be part of Darkness. I think I will be able to explain about this at some time.

Masatoshi Takeshita

May 21, 2015

From a Japanese article: Overseas Articles Never Reported by Mass Media – May 21, 2015 –

Show us the deal: Senators Warren, Manchin demand Obama disclose TPP

Original source:

rt.com/usa/260197-warren-manchin-obama-tpp/

Published time: May 19, 2015 22:42

US Senators Elizabeth Warren (D—MA) and

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) (Reiters)

Two Senate Democrats have sponsored a bill demanding the White House reveal the terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to the public at least two months before Congress could give President Obama fast-track authority.

Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts in proposing the two-page Trade Transparency Act, reports The Hill. If adopted, the bill would require the White House release the “scrubbed bracketed text of any trade agreement” no less than 60 days prior to a vote in Congress on fast-tracking the treaty.

“The Trade Transparency Act would ensure that the public, experts, and the press can engage in meaningful debate over the terms of trade deals before Congress reduces its ability to shape, amend, or block those deals,” said Warren. “Before Congress ties its hands on trade deals, the American people should be allowed to see for themselves whether these agreements are good for them.”

“If President Bush was willing to pull back the curtain and allow the American people to view the entire Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement, then President Obama should be willing to do the same before we grant him fast track authority,” added Manchin. “If this bill is as good for the American worker as proponents have claimed, then the Administration should let the American worker see the details before Congress is forced to grant the President Trade Promotion Authority.”

Warren has been an outspoken critic of the TPP and other free trade agreements, releasing a report on Monday laying out two decades of “broken promises” by successive administrations when it came to free trade treaties.

The White House has been promoting the TPP as “the most progressive trade agreement in history,” that would have “higher labor standards, higher environmental standards” and “new tools to hold countries accountable.”

Obama himself stepped up to champion the deal, firing back at Warren by calling her “a politician like everybody else” whose arguments “don't stand the test of fact and scrutiny."

The administration has also maintained that the treaty is still being negotiated, and that fast-track authority was needed to finalize the talks. A senior adviser at the National Economic Council argued that publicly announcing the details of the deal would be harmful to US interests.

“There’s a very good reason we won’t do that: We’re trying to drive a hard bargain so the American people get the best deal possible,” wrote Greg Nelson in a White House blog post. “We can’t do that if we show the other players our cards, so to speak.”

Obama himself has shrugged off comparisons with other free trade deals. “You need to tell me what’s wrong with this trade agreement, not one that was passed 25 years ago,” he told the Organizing for America conference in April.

Michael Wessel, a former Obama campaign adviser and one of the people cleared for access to TPP drafts, says that specific criticism is impossible, though. Anyone who has read the text of the agreement could be jailed for disclosing its contents, he wrote in Politico.

“The government has created a perfect Catch 22: The law prohibits us from talking about the specifics of what we’ve seen, allowing the president to criticize us for not being specific,” Wessel wrote. “Instead of simply admitting that he disagrees with me—and with many other cleared advisors—about the merits of the TPP, the president instead pretends that our specific, pointed criticisms don’t exist.”

Congress is currently considering a bill giving the White House fast-track authority to negotiate the TPP, a trade pact that would include 11 Pacific Rim countries, notably excluding China. Warren and Manchin maintain that keeping the details of the agreement classified makes it impossible for legislators to amend the treaty, and difficult to block its final approval.

On the Wrong Side of Globalization – Prescription for Betterment of Global Economy – Professor Joseph Stiglitz has criticizes the TPP

On the Wrong Side of Globalization – Prescription for Betterment of Global Economy

Professor Joseph Stiglitz has criticizes the TPP. As read in the article, it appears that “the TPP talks have stalled.” Reading what Professor Stiglitz writes, however, it seems that he has not found an answer to the question of how to change the world economy for the better.

Using a simple example, I can illustrate the current economy as follows. The fruit of the people’s hard work is stolen by a very small number of big business managers, politicians and bureaucrats who collude with one another. How do they do? It’s very simple: such managers show favoritism to politicians and bureaucrats by bribery, have them change the law to the advantage of big companies and steal wealth from the people in the form of tax. One such example is consumption tax increase and refund tax applied to exporting companies.

They get richer with the wealth they have taken away from the people without making any management effort and furthermore dabble in gable (stock speculation) to build up wealth. Only a handful of the wealthy who keep on succeeding in gambling build enormous wealth in this manner. Since they are acquitted with the government insiders and trust their property to brilliant investors like George Soros, they have very few risks of losing a bet. Even if losing it, they are bailed out by the government and they are practically free from any defeat. Like this, they siphon wealth from the people.

It is hardly possible that such economy will last forever. All we have to do to create a booming economy is just to confiscate the income they illegally gained and give it back to the people. How can we do to prevent them from gaining such unfair income? The first thing we have to do is to fix the maximum wage.

Could anyone on good terms with Professor Stiglitz tell him about the above-mentioned very simple prescription?

Masatoshi Takeshita

May 23, 2014

Excerpt from a Japanese article: GendaiBusiness – April 21, 2014 –

On the Wrong Side of Globalization by Joseph Stiglitz

(Map)

12 Trans-Pacific Partnership Member Countries [Photo] The New York Times

Source:

opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/on-the-wrong-side-of-globalization/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Trade agreements are a subject that can cause the eyes to glaze over, but we should all be paying attention. −−—−−　　

−−−−−−　　Most immediately at issue is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, which would bring together 12 countries along the Pacific Rim in what would be the largest free trade area in the world.

Negotiations for the TPP began in 2010, for the purpose, −−−−−　　, of increasing trade and investment, through lowering tariffs and other trade barriers among participating countries. −−−−−　　

Controversy has erupted, and justifiably so. Based on the leaks — and the history of arrangements in past trade pacts — it is easy to infer the shape of the whole TPP, and it doesn’t look good. There is a real risk that it will benefit the wealthiest sliver of the American and global elite at the expense of everyone else. −−−−−　　.

Let’s tackle the history first. In general, trade deals today are markedly different from those made in the decades following World War II, when negotiations focused on lowering tariffs. −−−−−　　.

Today, the purpose of trade agreements is different. Tariffs around the world are already low. The focus has shifted to “nontariff barriers,” −−−−−　　. Huge multinational corporations complain that inconsistent regulations make business costly. But most of the regulations, even if they are imperfect, are there for a reason: to protect workers, consumers, the economy and the environment.

What’s more, those regulations were often put in place by governments responding to the democratic demands of their citizens. −−−−−　　But when corporations call for harmonization, what they really mean is a race to the bottom.

−−−−−　　. Corporations everywhere may well agree that getting rid of regulations would be good for corporate profits. Trade negotiators might be persuaded that these trade agreements would be good for trade and corporate profits. But there would be some big losers — namely, the rest of us.

−−−−−　. All over the world, trade ministries are captured by corporate and financial interests. And when negotiations are secret, there is no way that the democratic process can exert the checks and balances required to put limits on the negative effects of these agreements.

−−−−−　　. One of the worst is that it allows corporations to seek restitution in an international tribunal, not only for unjust expropriation, but also ｆｏｒａｌｌｅｇｅｄｄｉｍｉｎｕｔｉｏｎｏｆｔｈｅｉｒｐｏｔｅｎｔｉａｌｐｒｏｆｉｔｓ as a result of regulation. −−−−−　　Philip Morris has already tried this tactic against Uruguay,−−−−−　　. In this sense, recent trade agreements are reminiscent of the Opium Wars,−−−−−　.

−−−−−　　. Developing countries pay a high price for signing on to these provisions, but the evidence that they get more investment in return is scant and controversial. And though these countries are the most obvious victims, the same issue could become a problem for the United States, as well. American corporations could conceivably create a subsidiary in some Pacific Rim country, invest in the United States through that subsidiary, and then take action against the United States government — getting rights as a “foreign” company that they would not have had as an American company. Again, this is not just a theoretical possibility: There is already some evidence that compnanies are choosing hot to funnel their money into different countries on the basis of where their legal position in relation to the government is strongest.

There are other noxious provisions. America has been fighting to lower the cost of health care. But the TPP would make the introduction of generic drugs more difficult, and thus raise the price of medicines. In the poorest countries, this is not just about moving money into corporate coffers: thousands would die unnecessarily. -----. Trade agreements provide even more opportunities for patent abuse.

The worries mount. One way of reading the leaked negotiation documents suggests that the TPP would make it easier for American banks to sell risky derivatives around the world, perhaps setting us up for the same kind of crisis that led to the Great Recession.

In spite of all this, there are those who passionately support the TPP and agreements like it, including many economists. What makes this support possible is bogus, debunked economic theory, which has remained in circulation mostly because it serves the interests of the wealthiest.

-------------------- .

American politics today compounds these problems. Even in the best of circumstances, the old free trade theory said only that the winners could compensate the losers, not that they would. And they haven’t — quite the opposite.----- .

Critics of the TPP are so numerous because both the process and the theory that undergird it are bankrupt. Opposition has blossomed not just in the United States, but also in Asia, where the talks have stalled.

----- .Those who see trade agreements as enriching corporations at the expense of the 99 percent seem to have won this skirmish. But there is a broader war to ensure that trade policy — and globalization more generally — is designed so as to increase the standards of living of most Americans. The outcome of that war remains uncertain.

In this series, I have repeatedly made two points: The first is that the high level of inequality in the United States today, and its enormous increase during the past 30 years, is the cumulative result of an array of policies, programs and laws. -----. Agreements like the TPP have contributed in important ways to this inequality. Corporations may profit, and it is even possible, though far from assured, that gross domestic product as conventionally measured will increase. But the well-being of ordinary citizens is likely to take a hit.

And this brings me to the second point that I have repeatedly emphasized: Trickle-down economics is a myth. Enriching corporations — as the TPP would — will not necessarily help those in the middle, let alone those at the bottom.

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Says “There is no necessity for Malaysia to Sign the TPP”

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Says
“There is no necessity for Malaysia to Sign the TPP”

At the time of the east Asian financial crisis, thanks to Prime Minister Mahathir, Malaysia alone managed to get over the crisis without being turned on to a plot of the IMF. Subsequently, Malaysia showed a world of difference in economics from Thailand and Korea that followed the IMF instruction.

If every country had accurately learned this lesson, they should have realized what sort of organization IMF is and the Greek debt crisis should have been solved speedily. In the case of Greece, for example, if Japan had loaned Greece as much money as it needs at low interest rates, it would have been all settled. If Japan had lent 50 trillion yen to the U.S. by buying U.S. government bonds, it would have been easy to bail out Greece. However, Western countries will not let Japan take such proper economic policy. It is because we are ignorant.

Masatoshi Takeshita

May 2, 2014

English translation of a Japanese article: richardkoshimizu’s blog – May 2, 2014 –

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Says “There is no necessity for Malaysia to Sign the TPP”

If Dr. Mahathir’s argument motivates the current Malaysian government and brings about such situation that will lead to the withdrawal of Malaysia from the TPP negotiations, I’m blissfully happy. Since the Malaysian people seriously listen to his opinion, it is likely that the country will withdraw from the pact bay consensus among the people.

If other countries follow in the footsteps of Malaysia and withdraw from the pact, TPP will have no meaning and collapse. I am dreaming of the day. The TPP is the “takeover of nations by the corporation” financed by Jewish financial capital.

Thank you for providing me information.

< Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Says “There is no necessity for Malaysia to Sign the TPP”>

japanese.irib.ir/news/latest-news/item/44924-

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir said that if Malaysia signs the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, it would cause damage to the country.

According to the *Illunar News, former Prime Minister Mahathir, who attended the International Federation of Landscape Architects Asian-Pacific Region conference, explained about the pressure on Malaysia to sign the TPP pact by the U.S.: “With regard to this, the U.S. is consulting with the Malaysian government over final decision. I feel that there is no necessity for Malaysia to sign the pact.”

The former prime minister also stressed that “If Malaysia signs this pact, Malaysian market would be opened up further that would not necessarily benefit Malaysians.”

The U.S.-led TPP, which aims to further liberalize the economies of the Asian-Pacific region, is joined by 12 countries. They are now consulting to finalize this economic plan.

(Translator’s note) *Illunar News – phonetic spelling

[Declaration of Act of Treachery] Prime Minister Abe Stresses Early Conclusion of TPP Negotiations at Lecture Presentation

Declaration of Act of Treachery!
Prime Minister Abe Stresses Early Conclusion of TPP Negotiations at Lecture Presentation

I supposed that the government would be forced to make such a compromise because a fixed schedule for Obama’s visit to Japan cannot be made. This is the result as expected. Mr. Amaki has mentionedfor a long time that Japan would make any compromise to have Obama visit Japan in this manner. That’s quite right. We might say that this has confirmed that Prime Minister Abe is a downright traitor.

Masatoshi Takeshita

April 18, 2014

English translation of an excerpt from a Japanese article: Blog to Seek Truth – April 17, 2014 –

Editor's Note)
Just reading red letters made by Mr. Masatoshi Takeshita, you may grasp the essentials of the article.

Prime Minister Abe stressed early conclusion and compromise of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) agreement in a meeting presentation held in Tokyo. In the presentation held this month, the prime minister said: “Although it is important to stick to figures, we would like to aim to reach the agreement by getting final results from a lofty perspective” and expressed his intention of early conclusion of TPP negotiations. He also told that “we would like to announce the bilateral agreement on TPP in a Japan and U.S. summit meeting slated for April 24. We might say that TPP negotiations has finally entered a crucial phase.

Although Japan and the U.S. are making secret negotiations on TPP, both countries remain as far apart as ever. However, since Japan has recently shown move to compromise, it would be a great disadvantage to Japan the way things stand. The U.S. side cannot immediately make an official conclusion of TPP agreement because it failed to deliberate a bill to give to the president the authority to trade with other countries “TPA” (Trade Promotion Authority). However, we have to say alert because there is a possibility that the U.S. will approve TPA , utilizing the bilateral agreement as a present.

……….

English translation of an excerpt from a Japanese article: BLOG OF AMAKI NAOTO – April 18, 2014 –

Major Newspapers Report Common Ground in TPP Negotiations between Japan and U.S.

Today on April 18, the Yomiuri, Asahi and Mainichi newspapers gave a great deal of space. In the Japan and U.S. conference on TPP, Japan and the U.S. will largely agree to impose a ceiling on customs-free import of U.S.-produced rice due to preferential treatment, in exchange of defending high tariffs of Japan’s rice at all cost.

Since major newspapers reported this all together, this would probably become common ground in TPP negotiations between the two countries. This is the outcome of TPP negotiation we have made so much fuss over for the past year. It is a thank-you present given to Obama who will visit Japan.

Even so, I am amazed at the Japanese government’s inclination to give special treatment to the U.S. and obey it by distorting international rules this much. How should we understand the political power of agricultural corporations and lawmakers representing the interests of agriculture and fishery industries, which transform high tariffs of rice into a sacred cow? Japan would be forced to compromise in every aspect in exchange of defending high tariffs of Japan’s rice at all cost. As a result, TPP would have Japan increasingly change.

And yet, Japan would say that TPP is important and insist that conclusion of the bilateral agreement was good for Japan. That is all the government can say. The Japanese government has it coming and it blows its own trumpet. However, it is unbearable for the Japanese people

Preferential Treatment for Rice Cropping in Japan To be Abolished. – Farmers to be Victimized First by Abe Administration –

Photo: marana.ru via VOR

"Preferential Treatment for Rice Cropping in Japan To be Abolished. "

- Farmers to be Victimized First by Abe Administration -

This measure indicates that it is farmers that will be victimized first by the Abe administration. In other words, it is the local region. People living in urban areas might think that seemingly, they will not suffer so much damage, but they cannot hope for safe food.

Destruction of rice, the staple food of Japan, means that Japanese will become slaves to foreign capital at the level of food. As shown in an example of bringing bread and milk as school lunches after the war, Japanese agriculture has been destroyed gradually over time, because bread or spaghetti cannot be made with naked barley native to Japan. Destruction of rice will complete the process of agriculture destruction. Simultaneously, total colonization of Japan will be finished.

Masatoshi Takeshita

December 2, 2013

English translation of the Japanese version of The Voice of Russia – November 30, 2013 –

The Japanese government has decided to abolish the protective policy for production of rice, the staple food of Japanese, which has been adopted for a long period of time. It is likely that subsidies provided to rice producers will be reduced to half from fiscal year 2014 and subsidies themselves will never be offered from fiscal year 2018.

A system has functioned smoothly, in which the authorities have bought up rice from farmers at a high price, while strictly deciding the rice production quota. This measure was taken to protect rice producers in the country and prevent a decline in market price due to shrinking rice consumption. Why has the government decided to abolish such measure now?

Mr. Andrei Fesyun, an expert of Russian Highest Economy Academy, points out: “It is related to participation of the negotiation process of TPP by the Japanese government.” He also says:

“Decision of Japanese government has two aspects: political and economic aspects. These two are closely connected with each other. First, economically, once Japan becomes a TPP member country, much cheaper agricultural products are imported from foreign countries. This may cause rice producers at home to go bankrupt. On the other hand, Japanese high-tech products will increase competitiveness in the foreign market. The Japanese government is prepared to sacrifice domestic agriculture in order to have giant businesses and high-tech economic sectors survive.

As for another aspect of politics, the influence of farmers as voters has rapidly been decreased. Fewer and fewer people want to work in rice fields with high rubber boots on. Naturally, the need to listen to such people has been decreased. Taking this into consideration, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party would probably have thought that it did not need to have much expectation for farmers’ votes, while it was first and most important to get support from voters living in urban areas.

The LDP wants to “win exceptional cases beneficial for Japanese agriculture before final approval of the rules while participating in the TPP negotiation process. However, Mr. Feshun considers it is probably impossible.

“This is flowery language which is often used before making an important decision when it is necessary to tighten a belt. It is in the same situation where you should not tell a sick person that he/she has a serious disease. On such an occasion, you are supposed to say, “Everything will go well. You will get better soon.” In TPP every member country stands on the same foundation in every field including agriculture. In this case, Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Thailand are in an advantageous position. Japan will have an advantage in the high-tech industry and automobile industry. It can make a far greater profit than by growing rice. The problem is how far Japan will victimize the national agriculture. However, this problem has already asked a more psychological question directly toward the Japanese society. The consumption of rice in Japan has decreased over several decades. Despite this, rice is an integral part of the Japanese diet.”

Rice cropping has always been the most important sector in Japanese economy. Therefore, a decision to abolish preferential treatment for production of rice, the staple of Japanese, will have an extremely important meaning.

Multinational Corporations, TPP Mastermind, Finally Comes to the Front and Starts to Selfishly Call for Market Liberalization

It was clear to me what the Koizumi Reform would bring about. In fact, the result was exactly what I expected to happen. As I often talked about it in video lectures, you can understand what I told you turns out to be true. What I said five years ago is happening now. As for TPP, it is such an unusual example that makes us precisely understand what will happen in the future. I am afraid many people will be deceived again.

Masatoshi Takeshita

May 2, 2013

English translation of a Japanese article: Ankoku Yakou – May 2, 2013 –

Multinational Corporations, TPP Mastermind, Finally Comes to the Front and Starts to Selfishly Call for Market Liberalization

It appears that multinational corporations (MNC), TPP mastermind, finally have come to the front and started to make specific one-sided demands with the aim of influence peddling for themselves.

As I commented about TPP many times in the previous entries, it is “the truth of matter” that even President Obama, not to mention U.S. congressmen, cannot directly get access to specific contents of TPP and a group of renowned MNCs including GM completely manage and control what is talked in negotiations (conditions).

In other words, negotiations between the Japanese and U.S. governments as well as the exchange of opinions between high officials in the two countries, as reported by the mass media in Japan, are never negotiation on conditions. Far from it, they are just confirmation of MNCs’ claims like “carrier pigeons.”

In a word, there exists no real negotiation on terms and conditions. The phrases Shinzo Abe uses, which are reported as “defend sacred areas at all cost” or “we demand what is supposed to be demanded” by the mass media, are mere “fiction” to make us believe as if negotiation were in progress.

Actually, reading an article excerpted from the Akahata, we will find out the fact that MNCs pose too blatant demands.

What are demanded by MNCs, which are shown in the article, are as follows:

* “(TPP) is a chance which gives huge profits to the U.S. and U.S. corporations” (GE)

*“Relaxation in description of the ingredients of newly developed food & food with nutrition function claims and also that of the name, percentage and production process of food additives (“relaxation of regulations to “secure food safety”)”

*“Entry of American corporations into large-scale public works projects such as major expressways, major public buildings, procurement of railways and stations, urban development & redevelopment projects”

*“Acceleration of procedures for approval of food additives and relaxation of regulations on use of fungicides”

*“Deregulation of tariffs on major items including rice and abolishment of duty to take epidemic prevention measures on U.S. apples” (Walmart)

“Relaxation of registration procedures for fungicides of postharvest (agricultural chemicals used after harvest)” (California Cherry Association)

*”Relaxation of Japan’s standards for residual pesticides” (California Grape Association)

These are, of course, a part of demands from MNCs, but just look at these, they sufficiently convey their tranny. It is self-evident that all industries in Japan will be “made to be markets for the U.S.”

We really feel anew that “participation in TPP” is “act of traitor to the country”, nothing but economic colonization.

Additionally, we have to have a sense of danger anew on that the U.S. claims to incorporate a “toxin provision” “ISDS (Investor State Dispute Settlement stipulation)” and foreign corporations claim the right to take legal action against the government of the partner country.

In other words, we have to reaffirm the meaning of a definite statement by the United State Trade Representative (USTR): “The goal of the Obama administration is to secure a favorable position so that the U.S. workers and business managers become winners of competitions in the Asia Pacific region.”

And there is one more point to note: the fact is specifically described by an article of the Akahata, shown below, that what Shinzo Abe says, that is, “we should protect what is supposed to be protected in TPP negotiations” is not guaranteed, which is indicated by the notification to the U.S. Congress.

In other words, the part described in the joint statement of the Japan-U.S. summit meeting between Obama and Abe held on February 22: “both countries have sensitivity in bilateral trade such as a given number of agricultural products for Japan and a given number of industrial products for the U.S. is missed (or ignored) in the notification to the U.S. Congress. This means that the U.S. has apparently no intention of paying attention to Japanese agricultural products.

It is said that the Japanese and U.S. governments will have consultation about nine areas in parallel with TPP negotiations over 21 areas. It is safe to say that these 30 areas are exactly what was discussed in the hideous “U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative” (the U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform and Competition Policy Initiative 2.0).

In a word, “TPP” is synonymous with the “U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative” (the U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform and Competition Policy Initiative 2.0), which the U.S. had long demanded Japan to accept.

In the future we will hear enough of blatant and unequal demands from the U.S. to Japan.

Now that we have initiated negotiations after official announcement to participate TPP, we cannot turn back.

The bus Japan jumped on is a damned bus for the “hell” which never makes us turn back.

[Mr. Ukeru Magosaki’s Point of View] Abe Administration Has Neither Will or Ability to Stick to Japan’s Claim

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Readers of Shanti Phula’s blog must have already expected this move when the LDP was back in power. Mr. Magosaki says, “I think the people who are deceived are greatly to be blamed. The government that deceives the people is definitely bad but the people who are deceived are foolish.”

Hello, young people! Next time you might be drafted for service. Are you going to battle obediently? If you don’t complain about it, it might be one of possible choices.

Masataoshi Takeshita

April 14, 2013

Protest marches against TPP by JA(Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) members

photo from bit.ly/15qj532

English translation of a Japanese article: “Honne Iimasse” (I‘ll deliver my true message) – April 14, 2013 -

Abe Administration Has Neither Will or Ability to Stick to Japan’s Claim

TPP vividly shows the fallacy of the Abe administration.

The Abe administration was established nominally with a slogan of anti-TPP.

More than 120 LDP members showed a tough stance against TPP in the election.

However, the opposition itself was totally fallacious.

In the House of Representative election, Mr. Abe had consistently pledged “The LDP would not participate in any negotiations based on the premise of abolition of tariffs without exceptions.” He made a promise only so far. Many Japanese people interpreted this to mean “He would protect sacred areas” but it’s a serf-serving interpretation.

However, Mr. Abe tactically directs the people to self-serving interpretation.

This usage of wording is the technique typical of the Japan’s bureaucracy.

Then Prime Minister Abe declared that the government would display its negotiating power.

On 15^th, Prime Minister Abe held a press conference and officially pronounced that the country would participate in the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) negotiations.

He made his decision in the midst of the pros and cons of the problem. His political skill of how to protect national interests will be called into question.

Prime Minister Abe said, “Now is our last chance. Losing this opportunity would simply leave Japan out from the rule-making in the world,” “We would protect the areas we should protect and attack the areas we should attack, using every possible negotiating power. I will pursue the best way to serve Japan’s national interests.” Listening to his determination, you believe that he will do his best.

However, they are just words. Then what happened?

“The government announced that Japan and the U.S. have reached an agreement on prior consultation paving the way for Japan to participate in TPP negotiations.

In prior consultation, Japan has made concession to the U.S. in the non-tariff measures-related areas of automobiles and insurances, which the U.S. took an aggressive stance on, as well as safety standards of food product and has decided to continue Japan-U.S. consultations in parallel with the TPP negotiations.”

The Asahi Shimbun {web} on 13^th reports:

“The Abe administration, which aims to participate in the TPP negotiations in July has quickened an agreement, has made concessions to the U.S. on many areas including a focal issue of automobiles. Japan is likely to be forced to pay high ‘admission fee’.”

The Nikkei Shimbun reports:

‘In order to participate in the TPP negotiations, Japan has been forced to pay admission fee to the U.S.

The Japan-U.S. agreement clearly reflects the demands of each sector in the U.S.

The U.S. automobile industry which opposes Japan’s participation has blatantly disclosed its protectionism, which is completely different to liberalism TPP aims for.

(The timing for phases-out of U.S. tariffs is maximally protracted.)

What is the response of the people who raised a slogan of anti-TPP?

As many as 120 LPD members should have been elected thanks to the slogan of anti-TPP they raised.

Do they still insist on the opposition to TPP?

How are the farmers who were placed at the vanguard of anti-TPP doing?

They seem to have made an about-face change of their attitude and sought for ways to get money from the government.

What about the Japan Medical Association? The Association also seems to become silent.

I’m reading the Sankei Shimbun morning edition dated April 14 (14^th version).

Almost no news on TPP has disappeared in the newspaper.

An article in the corner of a second-page titled “Japan-U.S. Agrees on TPP ‘Sense of Danger’” barely reports:

“On 13^th, Mr. Goushi Hosono, Secretary General of Democratic Party of Japan, expressed concern about the prior consultation between the Japan and U.S. governments over Japan’s participation in the TPP negotiations, saying “I feel a great sense of danger. Almost nothing about agriculture and nothing of medical services have been mentioned.” He told about it in his address of a meeting held in Mito City.”

Was it expected how it would go like this?

Yes, highly expected.

Prime Minister Abe gained power by claiming “to strengthen the Japan-U.S. relationship.”

Nothing but TPP can show his strong determination.

It means that he has no choice but to swallow all demands of the U.S.

Follow up how the TPP has gone, you will understand it.

The government has consistently used lies and sophistry.

My opinion is that the people who are deceived are greatly to be blamed.

You can be wise enough not to be taken in by the government because a lot of information is available.

The people who want to be deceived: I’d like to think anew about it.