Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO597
2009-03-18 07:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN'S LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS BILL TO AVOID
VZCZCXRO2414 RR RUEHFK RUEHGH RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0597 0770734 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 180734Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1569 INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4338 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 6460 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8313 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3569 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 0790 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 6817 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3025 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5365 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6724 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0549 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 7276 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS TOKYO 000597
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'S LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS BILL TO AVOID
RAISING AGRICULTURE TARIFFS
REF: 08 TOKYO 822
UNCLAS TOKYO 000597
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'S LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS BILL TO AVOID
RAISING AGRICULTURE TARIFFS
REF: 08 TOKYO 822
1. (U) Japan's Lower House is deliberating a bill to extend
for one year temporary tariff rates -- including beef and
pork tariffs -- that will otherwise expire March 31. This
same problem has occurred in previous years. Covering 417
tariffs in total, mostly for agriculture products, the bill
to revise partially the Customs Tariff Law would maintain
the current applied 38.5 percent tariff on beef rather than
allow it to rise to Japan's "bound" level of 50 percent.
The Diet has approved this "temporary" extension every year
since 2001, a necessary step to keep Japan's tariffs in
line with agreements reached during the Uruguay Round.
2. (SBU) Both the Lower and Upper House must approve the
bill before March 31 to ensure no disruption in current
tariff arrangements. Last year, the Upper House approved
the extension on the final day, a reflection of the tension
that exists between the Liberal Democratic Party-dominated
Lower House and Upper House, which is controlled by the
opposition Democratic Party of Japan. Agriculture Ministry
officials and others suggest the vote this year will
similarly come down to the wire, but expect the Diet to
approve the legislation by the March 31 deadline.
ZUMWALT
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'S LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS BILL TO AVOID
RAISING AGRICULTURE TARIFFS
REF: 08 TOKYO 822
1. (U) Japan's Lower House is deliberating a bill to extend
for one year temporary tariff rates -- including beef and
pork tariffs -- that will otherwise expire March 31. This
same problem has occurred in previous years. Covering 417
tariffs in total, mostly for agriculture products, the bill
to revise partially the Customs Tariff Law would maintain
the current applied 38.5 percent tariff on beef rather than
allow it to rise to Japan's "bound" level of 50 percent.
The Diet has approved this "temporary" extension every year
since 2001, a necessary step to keep Japan's tariffs in
line with agreements reached during the Uruguay Round.
2. (SBU) Both the Lower and Upper House must approve the
bill before March 31 to ensure no disruption in current
tariff arrangements. Last year, the Upper House approved
the extension on the final day, a reflection of the tension
that exists between the Liberal Democratic Party-dominated
Lower House and Upper House, which is controlled by the
opposition Democratic Party of Japan. Agriculture Ministry
officials and others suggest the vote this year will
similarly come down to the wire, but expect the Diet to
approve the legislation by the March 31 deadline.
ZUMWALT