Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 7 • Number 5 • 16th March 2007

NGOs Accuse Japan of Pushing Toxics in Bilateral Trade Agreements

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On 12 March, non-governmental group the Basel Action Network (BAN) issued a complaint targeting Japan with regard to bilateral trade agreements it is negotiating with developing countries. According to BAN, Japan has included provisions that would reduce tariffs on toxic waste, including pharmaceutical waste and waste oils containing PCBs, meaning the country could more easily export them to its trading partners.

BAN sent the note to the Japanese government, as well as the Executive Directors of the UN Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal saying that “For the past several years, Japan, Asia’s foremost economic power, has been steadily laying the groundwork for a plan to skirt the Basel Convention and liberalise and promote toxic waste trade among their global neighbours in Asia. One of the key components of this plan includes utilisation of bilateral trade agreements.”

The inclusion of toxic substances in the treaties between Japan and Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand has stirred controversy, with local Thai anti-FTA activists recently protesting against what they see as waste colonialism. An official of the Thai Industrial Works Department said on 5 March that an annex would be added to the FTA to clarify that it does not contravene international law on the movement of hazardous waste.

Additional information:

BAN Non-compliance notice targeting Japan http://www.ban.org/Library/Japan_JPEPA_BNN2007_1.Final.pdf.

“Toxic backlash to Thai-Japan FTA,” ASIA TIMES, 21 February 2007; “Japan Accused of Breaching Toxic Waste Trade Treaty,” ENS, 14 March 2007; “Toxic waste annex to be tabled in Tokyo,” BANGKOK POST, 5 March 2007.