Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the eighth Meeting amongst Main Ministers on the TPP at the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, a briefing was given regarding the results of the TPP Leaders' Meeting and Ministerial Meeting in Bali, which was followed by a discussion.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address,

"On the 8th, the TPP Leaders' Meeting was held in Bali, and I attended this meeting. The Leaders' Meeting was preceded by the Ministerial Meeting and Chief Negotiators' Meeting. Throughout the meetings, Japan negotiated persistently.
During the Leaders' Meeting, the leaders exchanged candid views on resolving the outstanding difficult issues, and reaffirmed their determination to conclude negotiations by the end of the year.
I underscored the following three items, which were:

1. The TPP must be a 21st century model economic integration agreement, which covers not only goods but also such areas as services, investment, e-commerce, intellectual property, and the environment, and must be a spark that triggers growth in the Asia-Pacific region;
2. It is essential to yield comprehensive and balanced outcomes for the conclusion of the negotiations;
3. Japan stands ready to fulfill a constructive role towards the conclusion of the negotiations by the end of the year.

While there are many outstanding issues, Japan has played a proactive role in making progress on the negotiations and has been highly commended by the countries concerned.
I believe that participation in the TPP negotiations is a 'provident masterstroke' and Japan should play a leading role towards the conclusion of the negotiations by the end of the year. I would like to ask for the cooperation of Minister Amari and other relevant ministers in making steady efforts to this end."