Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement- A bad deal should be stopped
Joint Statement from Australian and Japanese people
We, the undersigned people and organisations, believe that the Australia Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will not bring real benefits to the people of Australia and Japan.
Given that Australia and Japan already have a strong trading relationship; the predicted economic benefits are unlikely; and that social and environmental costs have not been considered, we believe that the negotiations of this FTA should not take place. Instead, we believe there is a need to rethink multi lateral trade rules and develop a global trading system based on real development, fairness, democracy, and sustainability.
Read the full text of the joint statement (PDF file):
Australia-Japan FTA: A bad deal should be stopped
Signed in May 2007 by Consumers Union of Japan and 23 Japanese organisations, as well as 90 Australian organisations and networks.