Japan is the fourth-largest agricultural export market for the United States, but has many agricultural trade barriers that keep U.S. farmers from selling even more.
"The opportunity to include Japan in the TPP negotiations must be seized. It is an opportunity that may not present itself again," the American Farm Bureau Federation and about 60 other farm and food groups said in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
The show of support comes as President Barack Obama's administration is beginning consultations with Congress about including Japan in the TPP talks.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced last month Tokyo was interested in joining talks on the pact, which the White House hopes will set "21st Century" rules for trade in fast-growing Asia Pacific region.
The eight other current TPP countries are Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Peru and Chile.
Mexico and Canada have also expressed interest in joining the pact, which also would help ensure the United States remains a counterweight to China in the region.
The farm groups acknowledged "there are important issues to be tackled before any final decision can be made with respect to Japan's participation, not the least of which is to gain assurances from Japan that it recognizes and accept the TPP must be a comprehensive agreement."
But there are also competitive reasons that the United States needs Tokyo in the pact, including the strong possibility of the Japan and the European Union beginning talks on a free trade pact in 2012, the farm groups said. (Reuters)
