WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over international trade agreements, issued the following statement today regarding the Obama Administration’s announcement that it is dropping its objection to Japan’s inclusion into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP):
“It’s critical that the Administration use these upcoming negotiations to ensure that Japan is playing by the rules. Japan’ s past actions to block U.S. goods from its economy hurts economic growth and job creation in Pennsylvania and across the country. In the Commonwealth, auto parts suppliers stand ready to compete with Japanese-made parts, if the playing field is level. That is why I’m calling on the Administration to ensure they negotiate an agreement that levels the trade playing field for our workers.”
Japan’s efforts to illegally block American cars have led to Japan exporting 120 automobiles into our country for every one American vehicle they allow into their market. Japan’s barriers to American automobiles include currency manipulation, onerous vehicle certification for imported cars that Japanese-made vehicles don’t have to undergo, zoning laws that make it difficult to establish new dealerships if they carry foreign-made cars, and government incentives that only benefit Japanese cars.
The U.S. trade deficit with Japan is $76 billion, making our trade deficit with the country higher than any other nation except China.
