Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said the deal will be necessary if Japan is to play a part in economic vitality overseas as it faces a declining population at home. Abe said Japan has taken the initiative in the creation of a global free trade zone.
It consists of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and the Japan-US pact, accounting for 60 percent of the global economy. This is a great opportunity for Japan, he said.
Abe also said Japan will continue to pursue arrangements that are in line with its national interests.