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North Korea, TPP high on English's agenda for meeting with Japan's PM

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Wed, 17 May 2017, 5:44AM
Prime Minister Bill English will meet his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo tonight (Photo / NZ Herald)
Prime Minister Bill English will meet his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo tonight (Photo / NZ Herald)

North Korea, TPP high on English's agenda for meeting with Japan's PM

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Wed, 17 May 2017, 5:44AM

The Prime Minister will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo tonight, where the troubled Korean Peninsula will be high on the agenda.

Bill English said the possibility of a North Korean missile reaching our shores has been explored by both defence and foreign affairs officials, and he doesn't believe they have that capability yet.

Mr English said last weekend's missile launch will be raised at the meeting.

"Japan's not far from North Korea - the missile that they tested came in this direction. You can understand them being fairly anxious about it."

He conceded the actions of North Korea are provocative, but said "if you've got Japan and China and the US and maybe even Russia showing some interest in containing North Korea, then the prospect is that they can resolve the tension without conflict."

The Trans Pacific Partnership is also at the top of Mr English's agenda, with the hope Japan will share New Zealand's enthusiasm.

This country having a de facto free trade agreement with the third biggest economy in the world would clearly lessen the blow of America pulling out.

Mr English said he expects the Japanese will want to continue talking, something he said would be great for New Zealand.

"There'll be a bit less benefit without the US, but the opportunities for some of our categories of export in Japan and right across the TPP will be well worth pursuing and well worth achieving if we can get there."

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Todd McClay has conceded that countries, like the United States, would benefit from changes to the trading rules.

The Americans fought hard over more transparency about how Pharmac sets prices for drugs and wanted longer monopoly protection periods for its drugs.

"If TPP was to go ahead in its current form, they and other counties who aren't part of TPP as it was originally written would find some benefit," he said.

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