JAPAN’S ENTRY TO G.A.T.T.

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27733, 10 August 1955, Page 13

JAPAN’S ENTRY TO G.A.T.T.

Full Membership

Next Month

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) SINGAPORE, August 9. The Japanese Foreign Office said today that Japan had secured sufficient votes to become a full member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The official report to the Japanese Foreign Office from the Japanese Consulate-General in Geneva said 23 nations had so far notified the G.A.T.T. secretariat of their support for Japan’s full accession, which would now take place on September 10. This meets the G.A.T.T. rule that the support of two-third* of its 34 members is required for the admission of a new member. The Foreign Office said 27 to 28 nations were expected to vote in favour of Japan by August 11, which is the deadline for the postal vote.

The Foreign Office said Japan would now concentrate her efforts on preventing as many members as possible from invoking Article 35, which permits members to withhold tariff arrangements with a new member. Only 20 members have so far concluded or indicated their intention to conclude tariff agreements with Japan within the framework of G.A.T.T.

Among the remaining 14 members, Britain has already expressed its policy of invoking Article 35.