Trade monitoring
Report by the WTO Secretariat
Since Japan’s previous Trade Policy Review in 2011, there has been little change in its trade and related policies. Nonetheless, the simple average MFN applied tariff rate has increased, due partly to a rise in the average ad valorem equivalents of non-ad valorem duties. Also, Japan has adopted more international standards.
Introduction
Globalization is transforming development. This section examines how, in its scope and speed, the recent rise of the developing world is unprecedented – eclipsing the rise of the newly industrializing countries after the Second World War, and dwarfing the earlier rise of Europe and North America in the late 19th century. There are many reasons why the developing world has achieved economic lift-off. One of the most important is its integration into the world economy – and the new access to markets, technology and investment that has resulted. This rise of the developing world is one of four recent trends that holds new development opportunities while also bringing new challenges. The same is true for three other trends identified here: the spread of production chains, high commodity prices, and growing economic interdependence.
Trade negotiations in 2015
In 2015, the Trade Negotiations Committee and its subsidiary bodies focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for the Tenth Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in December. In the first half of the year, WTO members focused on preparing a post-Bali work programme. Although members ultimately failed to establish this programme, they redoubled efforts in the second half of the year to deliver substantive outcomes in Nairobi. Negotiations at the Ministerial Conference concluded with six ministerial decisions on agriculture, cotton and issues related to least developed countries, known collectively as the “Nairobi Package”. Ministers also issued a declaration on the future of the WTO and members’ divergent views on the Doha Round.