Relations between Japan and China remain strained in this 40th anniversary year marking the restoration of diplomatic ties. This is regrettable, and we wish the partners would try harder to get along.
The government has finished explaining the aims of the seven bills it has drafted and submitted to the Diet to carry out integrated tax and social security reform. During Lower House plenary sessions, it also answered some questions about these bills from the opposition parties.
Japan appears likely to continue preliminary discussions with nine Pacific-Rim countries over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, including the United States and Australia, without formally joining the negotiations.
