Germany's Kauder Seeks Accord on Japan-EU EPA by Year-End

   Tokyo, May 23 (Jiji Press)--A visiting German parliamentary leader on Thursday called on Japan and the European Union to accelerate negotiations on concluding an economic partnership agreement for free trade so that they can reach an accord by the end of this year.
   The negotiations, which started last month, are at a critical stage, Volker Kauder, chairman of the CDU/CSU ruling group in the Bundestag, or German parliament, said at a press conference, while urging Japan to make an early decision to hold down nontariff barriers.
   He said that the European Commission, the executive organ of the EU, is aiming to reach an accord on the EPA within this year. Noting that the EU and Japan know where the problem is, Kauder stressed that Japan needs to make a decision.
   During his stay, Kauder met with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Finance Minister Taro Aso to exchange views on the envisaged EPA.
   Kauder also said that Aso and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda assured him that the BOJ's new bold monetary easing policy, which is in line with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policy, dubbed Abenomics, is not intended to push down the yen.

(2013/05/24-02:27)

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