Levin opposes Japan entering trade talks

From Senator Carl Levin’s office:

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., made the following statement in reaction to the administration’s announcement on Japan’s possible participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks:

“I have major concerns about allowing Japan, with its historically closed auto and auto parts market, to participate in the TPP negotiations. Japan’s history of discriminatory trade practices continues to hurt American workers and American companies. If the talks produce an agreement that does not knock down Japan’s historic trade barriers, Congress should reject it.”

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The Obama administration has said it would allow Japan to join the 11-nation free trade talks in spite of strong opposition from the Big Three U.S. automakers and the United Auto Workers union.

GM, Ford, Chrysler and the union have argued that dropping U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports could lead to the loss of thousands of American jobs.

Congress ultimately will have to approve any trade deal, and Japan will need the approval of the other ten nations to join the talks.

Senator Levin’s brother, Congressman Sander Levin, told the Detroit News on Saturday that Japanese automakers sell 120 vehicles in America for every vehicle that the U.S. Big Three sell in Japan.