. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/13/Add.2 
16 December 2005 
 (05-6114) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
JAPAN 
 
Statement Circulated by HE Mr Shoichi Nakagawa
 
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries  
   I would like to take this opportunity to refer to two points, namely development and 
agriculture, from the viewpoint of what is require d in order to lead the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Meeting to a success. 
  First, on development, it goes without saying that  the most important goal of this Round is to 
facilitate development of developi ng countries through trade expansi on, as we refer to the Round as 
the "Doha Development Agenda (DDA)".  
 While there are some developing countries whose economy has developed remarkably in 
recent years, there are a great many others, mainly LDCs, which remain at low levels of economic development.  A door to prosperity through trade is open to them under the WTO system, but they 
cannot go through the door.  I have strongly argue d at the various occasions that we should address 
this round from the viewpoint of what we could do for those countries and people who are in real 
difficulties. 
  The Government of Japan has recently outli ned a comprehensive "development initiative", 
under the leadership of Prime Minister Koizumi.  In this initiative, Japan expresses its commitment to 
provide duty-free and quota-free market access for es sentially all products originating from all LDCs.  
In order for this measure to be utilized to the maximum extent possible, it will be accompanied by a 
package of extensive development assistance, composed  of supports for capacity-building in the area 
of "Produce", "Sell" and "Buy", which are keenly needed by developing countries, especially LDCs. 
  I am convinced that all Members including Japan  have a strong political will to make progress 
of development issues and LDC issues during this Ministerial Conference.  Such a political will 
should be clearly reflected in the Ministerial Decl aration of this Conference here in Hong Kong. 
  Second, I would like to refer to the negotiations  on agriculture.  Regrettably, we are unable to 
reach an agreement on the full modalities at this Mini sterial Meeting.  However, in order to establish 
modalities at the early stage of next year, it is nece ssary for us to make a step forward in Hong Kong 
in all three pillars of the agriculture negotiations in a well-balanced manner. 
  Currently, we are facing big divergence in num bers, such as tariff reduction rates, advocated 
by different Members and groups, a nd we have difficulty in making c onvergence.  I believe we should 
first focus on the discussion on the structural elem ents of modalities which constitute preconditions 
for negotiating the numbers. 
 WT/MIN(05)/ST/13/Add.2 
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  In particular, in the market access pillar, I am convinced that, in pursuing the early 
convergences in the tariff reduction formula or reduc tion rates, we should first focus on and make a 
progress in the structural elements of sensitive produc ts and special products (SP), which have not yet 
been discussed sufficiently.    
 The G10 is preparing a new proposal on sens itive products in which we would present an idea 
to move from our previous position that the sensitiv e products would be treated in the separated box, 
to the new position that the tariff reduction rates of sensitive products would be set in connection with 
those under the tariff reduction formula.  
 While Japan, as well as G10, is ready to show  flexibilities in such a manner I have just 
described, there needs to be equivalent flexibilitie s from our partners if we are to advance the 
negotiations.  These should include the issues such as:   the issue of tariff capping;  the number of 
sensitive products;  and the idea that the degree of market access improvement for sensitive products 
should be smaller than th at of the other products. 
 
 On special products (SP) and special safegua rd measures for developing countries (SSM), 
Japan welcomes the proposals recently tabled by the G33.  We are prepared to participate in the 
discussion on these issues based on these proposals.   On domestic support, Japan has already carried out, and continues, drastic reforms in this 
area.  We need to agree, in this Round, on the reduction of trade-distorting domestic support which 
would result in real reforms, and to estab lish appropriate disciplines to ensure this. 
  On export competition, it is urgently needed to  have a clear definition of parallelism.  We 
should reach a conclusion on this matter as promptly as possible, and then move into the next step, 
i.e., discussions on the end date of  all forms of export subsidies. 
  I am willing to engage is building block effo rts towards a successful conclusion of the DDA, 
together with the colleagues in  this Ministerial Conference. 
  
 
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