BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – Japan’s prime minister said Monday the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal would be “meaningless” without U.S. participation, as Donald Trump announced he planned to quit the pact.
Shinzo Abe’s comment came shortly before the U.S. president-elect released a short video about his plans for his administration, including an intention to have the United States drop out of the TPP pact.
“I am going to issue a notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country,” Trump said. “Instead, we will negotiate fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores.”
Abe spoke after attending a weekend meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Peru at which some said they might try to modify the 12-nation TPP pact to make it more appealing to Trump or seek to implement it without the U.S.
But Abe discounted the idea of going ahead without the Americans being a part of the deal.