Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO880
2008-04-01 08:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN: DIET EXTENDS TEMPORARY TARIFFS
how-toVZCZCXRO9799 OO RUEHFK RUEHGH RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0880 0920820 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 010820Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3029 INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8563 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 6034 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2524 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7578 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5440 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0651 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6982 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9365 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6476 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0377 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3283 RHMFIUU/USFJ RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 6960 RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 000880
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR FOR AUSTR CUTLER AND DAUSTR BEEMAN
PLEASE PASS TO USDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR PGOV JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DIET EXTENDS TEMPORARY TARIFFS
REF: A. TOKYO 822
B. TOKYO 860
UNCLAS TOKYO 000880
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR FOR AUSTR CUTLER AND DAUSTR BEEMAN
PLEASE PASS TO USDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR PGOV JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DIET EXTENDS TEMPORARY TARIFFS
REF: A. TOKYO 822
B. TOKYO 860
1. (U) The Diet passed a law March 31 to extend "temporary"
tariff rates -- including tariffs on beef, pork, and corn
products -- for one year. The legislation passed after both
the Upper House Finance Committee and the full Upper House
plenary voted in favor of a bill that the Lower House
approved March 25 (ref A).
2. (U) The Upper House had to approve the bill before Japan's
fiscal year-end of March 31 to ensure no disruption in
current tariff arrangements: 417 tariffs were set to sunset
with the end of the fiscal year absent Diet action to renew
them. The measures included provisions to maintain beef
tariffs at 38.5 percent (vice 50 percent),as per agreements
Japan had reached in the WTO and GATT.
3. (SBU) Media and Diet contacts report the legislation
passed easily and with the support of the main opposition
Democratic Party of Japan, which has focused its attention on
the fight over road-related taxes (ref B).
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR FOR AUSTR CUTLER AND DAUSTR BEEMAN
PLEASE PASS TO USDA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR PGOV JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DIET EXTENDS TEMPORARY TARIFFS
REF: A. TOKYO 822
B. TOKYO 860
1. (U) The Diet passed a law March 31 to extend "temporary"
tariff rates -- including tariffs on beef, pork, and corn
products -- for one year. The legislation passed after both
the Upper House Finance Committee and the full Upper House
plenary voted in favor of a bill that the Lower House
approved March 25 (ref A).
2. (U) The Upper House had to approve the bill before Japan's
fiscal year-end of March 31 to ensure no disruption in
current tariff arrangements: 417 tariffs were set to sunset
with the end of the fiscal year absent Diet action to renew
them. The measures included provisions to maintain beef
tariffs at 38.5 percent (vice 50 percent),as per agreements
Japan had reached in the WTO and GATT.
3. (SBU) Media and Diet contacts report the legislation
passed easily and with the support of the main opposition
Democratic Party of Japan, which has focused its attention on
the fight over road-related taxes (ref B).
SCHIEFFER