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On January 19, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a ceremony to commemorate the Entry into Force of the TPP11 Agreement (the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership).
 
The Prime Minister said in his address,
 
“The ministers and representatives of each country and everyone who has been involved with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the TPP Agreement has been entered into force without accident and we have together opened a new chapter of the history of free trade. I would like to first celebrate that with everyone.
 
More than 10 years have passed since its conception, we have gone through a truly complex and difficult negotiation process and finally come to this point. I understand that in undertaking the negotiations, each country put forth their best and brightest negotiators. Japan too appointed quite tough negotiators as the minister in charge in the Abe administration – those who are also in attendance here today – Mr. Amari, then minister at that time, Mr. Ishihara, former minister, and Minister Motegi. While they have quite good personalities, I suppose other negotiators might question that. We may have caused you some challenges related to that point. In any case, in a rugby term – Japan will host the Rugby World Cup, this year –, it is “no side” at the end of the match. We have reached full time and created a win-win agreement for each other. I hope that all of the negotiators with familiar faces will commend each other’s plays.
 
The TPP can be said to be a model for the economic order in the 21st century, or a model for trade rules. For that reason, each country, including Japan, was forced to overcome various challenges in the path toward the conclusion of the negotiations. Overcoming those challenges required the cooperation of all those involved and industry groups. We have seen the agreement to come into effect at this time since all of us believed that this agreement would absolutely open up a new future for our countries, and so we supported each other.
 
Today, members of the ruling parties are also in attendance. You spent time to attend meetings overseas and supported the negotiations by the Government there. Those who are from the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries and the business community, you generously worked extremely hard to implement a series of relevant measures even after the agreement, in addition to your efforts during the negotiation processes. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my utmost appreciation to all of you.
 
The entry into force of the TPP Agreement is not the end. Our real work will start from now. I believe that by having the people, consumers, and businesses of each country enjoy the benefits of this agreement to the greatest extent possible, further prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region will be materialized.
 
The consumers of Japan will be able to purchase the wonderful goods and products of each of your countries at an even lower price. At the same time, your countries will become able to make use of the advanced technology that Japan is so proud of, which is possessed by our small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). I also hope that you will absolutely enjoy the delicious and safe agricultural, forestry, and fishery products produced by Japan.
 
I originally had a plan to deliver Japan’s delicious agricultural and fishery products from that window when my speech reached this point. We decided not to go with that plan because of constraints in arrangements not budget.
 
Instead, we have this delicious Japanese orange juice, and sparkling wine – for your information, this sparkling wine is from Australia. I am pleased that we will be able to enjoy the excellent agricultural, forestry, and fishery products of other countries at a lower price. Also, after this, Minister Motegi has prepared a lavish feast for dinner. I was told that delicious Japanese wagyu beef will be served; this meal is, however, only for our guests from overseas. I hope that everyone here from Japan will enjoy the delicious agricultural, forestry, and fishery products of our country on your own.
 
Last but not least, I would like to pave the way to a brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region together with all of you under the flag of the TPP. Thank you very much for today.”