2018/0122M(NLE) | [ParlTrack]

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)

– having regard to the 20th EU-Japan Summit in 2010,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas Japan led efforts to revise the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement (TPP-11) and ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in July; whereas Japan has also shown interest in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which includes China;deleted

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas Japan led efforts to revise the Trans-Pacific ~~Trade Agreement (TPP-11) and ratified~~Partnership (TPP) following the withdrawal from the US and ratified the revised agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP or TPP-11) in July 2018; whereas Japan has also shown interest in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which includes China;

Amendment 12 #

H. whereas the Japanese government approved a new Development Cooperation Charter in February 2015; whereas this Charter has been criticised for introducing the concepts of “proactive contribution to peace” and explicitly linking development aid to “national interest”;

Amendment 13 #

Hilde VAUTMANS

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe undertook an official visit to PRC in October 2018;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. Whereas the Foreign Minister´s advisory panel on climate change issued its report in February 2018, where the need for energy transition towards renewables was put at the core of Japan´s energy diplomacy strategy; whereas Japan still largely depends on fossil fuels imports and the plans to develop new coal-fired power plants are ongoing; whereas this contradicts the conclusions of the Foreign Minister´s advisory panel;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas Japan has over the last decades won international acclaim for its policy of military restraint which has by no means stood in the way of its rise to become one of the most important economic and political players in the world;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)

Hb. whereas tensions exist between Japan and its neighbours over islands in the East China Sea, the Sea of Japan and the Pacific, northeast of Hokkaido; whereas the peaceful settlements of disputes in the region in accordance with the international law is highly important;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)

Hb. Whereas capital punishment is still a legal penalty in Japan, and executions are carried out by hanging without any previous warning to the inmates; whereas the UN Committee against torture has criticised this practice for the psychological strain it causes in the inmates and their families;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the conclusion of the draft Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), which provides a legally binding framework, strengthens EU-Japan bilateral relations and increases cooperation in more than 40 areas such as foreign policy and security issues, especially in areas as promoting peace and stability, managing crisis, preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the illicit trade of arms or fighting against the impunity of the most serious international crimes, as crime of aggression, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, global development and humanitarian aid, economic matters, research, innovation, education, food safety, agricultural policy, ICT policy, space technology, culture and sport, as well as on global challenges such as climate change, migration, cyberthreats, public health, cross-border crime, crisis and disaster management and the fight against terrorism;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the conclusion of the draft Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), which provides a legally binding framework, strengthens EU-Japan bilateral relations and increases cooperation in more than 40 areas such as foreign policy and security issues, global development and humanitarian aid, economic matters, research, innovation, education, food safety, agricultural policy, ICT policy, space technology, culture and sport, as well as on ~~global challenges~~issues that require global coordination such as climate change, migration, cyberthreats, public health, cross-border crime, crisis and disaster management and the fight against terrorism;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)

– having regard to EU-Japan Action Plan in 2001,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Welcomes the strong commitment of the Contracting Parties to fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular to the implementation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); underlines that the contracting parties, as signatory states of the NPT, have expressly committed themselves to renouncing the acquisition of nuclear weapons; regrets that most of the Contracting Parties have until now not supported the recent comprehensive United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Highlights the linkages between the SPA and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which together form the world’s largest bilateral free trade agreement; c~~Considers the conclusion of the ~~two agreements~~SPA as an upgrade in partnership and supports further cooperation in the multilateral fora; welcomes the mutual respect and confidence that were strengthened during the negotiation process;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights the linkages between the SPA and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which together form the world’s largest bilateral free trade agreement; considers the conclusion of the two agreements as an upgrade in partnership ~~and~~with the objective to provide concrete benefits to the people of EU and Japan; supports further cooperation in the multilateral fora; welcomes the mutual respect and confidence that were strengthened during the negotiation process;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights the linkages between the SPA and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), ~~which together form~~ the world’s largest bilateral free trade agreement; considers the conclusion of the two agreements as an upgrade in partnership and supports further cooperation in the multilateral fora; welcomes the mutual respect and confidence that were strengthened during the negotiation process;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the reference in Article 1(3) of the SPA to a parliamentary dimension aimed at strengthening the partnership through dialogue and cooperation in the areas of political issues, foreign and security policies and other sectoral cooperation; suggests, in this connection, that the Diet and the European Parliament continue to develop parliamentary oversight and dialogue with the aim of ensuring that the contractually agreed cooperation is also implemented; reiterates its conviction that the concrete form of general and sectoral cooperation should, in principle, be based on the sustainability objectives and targets to be implemented by 2030, jointly adopted by the United Nations and also endorsed by the contracting parties;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that a comprehensive ~~diplomatic, economic, cultural and security~~ approach is needed inwith regards to the developing world where respect for human rights, environmental protection, peacebuilding, security and development go hand in hand, a vision shared by the EU and Japan;

Amendment 26 #

Tokia SAÏFI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that a comprehensive and coherent diplomatic, economic, cultural and security approach is needed in the developing world where security and development go hand in hand, a vision shared by the EU and Japan;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Reaffirms the shared commitment to respect for human rights, democracy, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law, and to working together for the global promotion and protection of these values; urges both parties to take a positive and constructive stance in the conclusion of the United Nations Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Reaffirms the shared commitment to respect for human rights, democracy, fundamental freedoms, good governance ~~and~~, the rule of law, and common values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to working together for the global promotion and protection of these values in international fora and in the cooperation with third countries;

Amendment 29 #

Alojz PETERLE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)

– having regard to its resolution of 16 February 2012 on the death penalty in Japan,

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Recalls that Japan is a member of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) (2017- 2019), and it is party to eight out of nine UN core conventions on human rights; however, regrets that Japan still practices the death penalty and that only in July 2018 thirteen persons were executed; is worried that the pre-trial detention system daiyo kangoku allows police to detain suspects without filling any formal charges;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Notes that Japan has not ratified two ILO core conventions (on Discrimination and the Abolition of Forced Labour) and welcomes Japan’s decision to establish an inter-ministerial framework to deal with the implementation of sustainable development commitments under the EPA, including the ratification of such conventions;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses the need for further cooperation on women´s rights in order to ensure that the achievement of gender equality is one of the key objectives of the partnership; encourages the Japanese Diet to further work on legislation to address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Supports the efforts of the UN on the phasing out of capital punishment; in this line, urges Japan to join those efforts and to introduce an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty as a step towards abolition;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Recalls that Article 43.6 of the SPA would allow the EU to suspend the EPA in case of Japan’s violation of the SPA essential elements i.e. the human rights and non-proliferation clauses;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Recalls that the 2016 EU Global Strategy identified a direct connection between European prosperity and Asian security and called for the EU to make greater practical contributions and work with partners like Japan to promote peace in the Korean peninsula and the peaceful settlement of maritime and territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas, on the basis of international law and conventions; underlines the importance of confidence- building and preventive diplomacy; stresses that the freedom of international navigation must be respected;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Notes the historically strained relationship between Japan and China, though welcomes the meeting of Prime Minister Abe and President Xi in Beijing on 26 October 2018 as a step towards improving bilateral ties and reducing regional tensions;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Recognises that Chinese and Russian influence in the Asia-Pacific region is a major security challenge for Japan, as well as for European Union interests, and therefore welcomes the commitments of the SPA to deepen EU-Japan security cooperation as a bulwark to such threats;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6c. Pledges to support continued international pressure, including sanctions, against North Korea to ensure concrete steps are taken towards denuclearisation and in the interests of regional stability;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 d (new)

6d. Supports a deepening of international cooperation to resolve the issue of missing Japanese citizens, feared abducted by the North Korean regime;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the EU and Japan have been strategic partners since 2003 and continue to cooperate closely in numerous multilateral fora;

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the EU’s new strategy for improving connectivity with Asia through promoting dialogue, stability, regional and international cooperation, interoperable transport, energy and digital networks, and people-to-people links; underlines the opportunities connectivity brings for increased education, research and cultural exchanges;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the EU’s new strategy for improving connectivity with Asia through promoting dialogue, regional and international cooperation, interoperable transport, energy and digital networks, and people-to-people links; underlines the opportunities connectivity brings for increased education, science, research and cultural exchanges;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for the expansion of bilateral EU- Japan and plurilateral cooperation with South Korea, DPRK, the United States and China in support of efforts to secure peace and maintain stability in the region, peaceful coexistence in the Korean peninsula, and the irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the ~~DPRK~~Korean peninsula; expresses ~~preference~~support for further Japan-South Korea cooperation which could contribute to regional stability and ~~address security risks such as the DPRK~~create a favourable political and economic environment for the talks between the governments of South Korea and DPRK on a broad spectre of issues of mutual interest, including security risks on the Korean peninsula; emphasises that the stability ofand the ~~global~~further economic ~~power~~cooperation between the countries in north-east Asia is in the core interest of Europe;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for the expansion of bilateral EU- Japan and plurilateral cooperation with South Korea, the United States and China in support of efforts to secure peace and maintain stability in the region, peaceful coexistence in the Korean peninsula, and the irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the DPRK; expresses ~~prefere~~the importance ofor further Japan-South Korea cooperation which cwould ~~contribute to regional stability and address security risks such as~~ensure good neighbourly relations and further cooperation on the diplomatic efforts to ensure the denuclearisation of the DPRK; emphasises that the stability of the ~~global economic powers in north-east Asi~~Korean peninsula is in the core interest of Europe;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for the expansion of bilateral EU- Japan and plurilateral cooperation with South Korea, the United States and China in support of efforts to secure peace and maintain stability in the region, peaceful coexistence in the Korean peninsula, and the irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the DPRK; expresses preference for further Japan-South Korea cooperation which could contribute to regional stability and address security risks such as the DPRK; emphasises that the stability ~~of the global economic powers~~ in north-east Asia is in the core interest of Europe;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for the expansion of bilateral EU- Japan and plurilateral cooperation with South Korea, the United States and China in support of efforts to secure peace and maintain stability in the region, peaceful coexistence in the Korean peninsula, and the complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearisation of the DPRK; expresses preference for further Japan-South Korea cooperation which could contribute to regional stability and address security risks such as the DPRK; emphasises that the stability of the global economic powers in north-east Asia is in the core interest of Europe;

Amendment 46 #

Alojz PETERLE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Suggests that the EU and Japan work together to increase the capacities of ASEAN regarding the regional integration agenda; supports the decision taken at the 33rd ASEAN-Japan Forum in Tokyo to further strengthen ties and address regional and international issues of common interest and to work together to promote peace and stability; calls for synergies between Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy and EU initiatives, including the EU investment Plan and extended EU Trans-European Transport Networks to promote global cooperation in connectivity;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Suggests that the EU and Japan work together to increase the capacities of ASEAN regarding the regional integration agenda and the ability to resolve conflicts in the region collectively and hereby to strengthen against the background of an escalating rivalry between China and the US the actual centrality of ASEAN in the South East Asian multilateral order; supports the decision taken at the 33rd ASEAN-Japan Forum in Tokyo to further strengthen ties and address regional and international issues of common interest and to work together to promote peace and stability;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Suggests that the EU and Japan work together to increase the capacities of ASEAN regarding the regional integration agenda; supports the decision taken at the 33rd ASEAN-Japan Forum in Tokyo to further strengthen ties and address regional and international issues of common interest and to work together to promote peace and stability, believes that the promotion and protection of human rights contributes effectively to these two objectives;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Suggests that the EU and Japan work together to increase the capacities of ASEAN regarding the regional integration and cooperation agenda; supports the decision taken at the 33rd ASEAN-Japan Forum in Tokyo to further strengthen ties and address regional and international issues of common interest and to work together to promote peace and stability;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the EU and Japan have been strategic partners since 20031;

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Stresses the need for the EU and Japan to work together at multilateral level to preserve the Non-Proliferation Treaty; welcomes the importance that the Japanese government has given to the Arms Trade Treaty and stresses the importance of the common work which can be done to highlight to other States the importance of ratifying it or acceding to it;

Amendment 51 #

Hilde VAUTMANS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Welcomes the result of the official visit undertaken by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to PRC in October 2018; welcomes, after a long tense period, the announcement of a commitment to open a new chapter of relations between both countries;

Amendment 52 #

Tokia SAÏFI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Highlights the opportunities and momentum the SPA gives to developing cultural relations; suggests further investment to enhance citizen-to-citizen interaction, educational and cultural dialogue, and public diplomacy to promote mutual understanding; calls, in this regard, for the reinforcement and multiplication of, and the facilitation of access to, mobility programmes for students between Japan and the European Union under Erasmus+;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Highlights the opportunities and momentum the SPA gives to developing cultural relations; ~~suggests further~~deplores the low level of people-to-people exchanges between EU and Japanese population, takes note of the existing high linguistic barriers, and suggests significant investment to enhance citizen-to-citizen interaction, educational and cultural dialogue, and public diplomacy to promote mutual understanding;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Highlights the opportunities and momentum the SPA gives to developing cultural relations and to cooperation on youth, education and sport; suggests further investment to enhance citizen-to- citizen interaction, educational and cultural dialogue, and public diplomacy to promote mutual understanding; and cultural diversity as well as exchange of knowledge and experiences;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Welcomes the parties’ commitment in Article 13 to improve regulatory and supervisory regimes for accounting, auditing, banking, insurance, financial markets and other parts of the financial sector in support of the work currently undertaken in relevant international organisations and fora; is very concerned that the scope of liberalisation of financial services foreseen in the EPA related to the SPA will prove to be too broad, as it includes all finance-related positions, and all financial products and innovations; recalls that among these products were the particularly toxic assets which were at the centre of the 2008 global financial crisis; warns that in combination with the opaque regulatory cooperation system, which has been agreed by the negotiators and which is aimed at reducing the costs and regulatory burdens for private operators, it may become highly challenging to prevent the next financial crises; underlines the need both in the European Union and Japan for far-reaching and effective financial regulation in order to preserve financial market stability;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Welcomes the reference in the SPA to further enhance cooperation over investigation and prosecution of serious crimes against international law and human rights as well as the effectiveness of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, established in 1998;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10b. Highlights the SPA gives momentum to strengthen dialogue and exchange information in order to combat terrorism in all its forms and in accordance to international law;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10b. Welcomes the parties’ commitment in Article 15 to cooperate in the field of transport policies and practices, and calls on the parties to focus on the promotion of low-emission transport in the aviation, maritime and railway sector; calls on the parties to extend their cooperation to the road transport sector and to promote in particular zero-emission forms of urban transport, and of transport of goods;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)

10c. Stresses its support for the parties’ commitment in Article 17 to promote industrial cooperation; calls for an implementation of decent work and environmentally sound production schemes along the entire global value chains of their enterprises; emphasises the need to include due diligence in responsible sourcing to the fields of cooperation, and encourages the parties to exchange experiences made with binding legislative approaches such as the Union’s conflict minerals regulation;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the EU and Japan as likeminded global partners share a ~~special~~common responsibility for fostering peace, stability and prosperity in a rapidly changing world in accordance with principles and values enshrined in the United Nations Charter and in conformity with international law;

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 d (new)

10d. Considers positively the willingness of the parties expressed in Article 22 to enhance cooperation for consumer protection; is aware of existing divergent approaches regarding the labelling of genetic modifications in food products; stresses that under no circumstances precise, understandable and EU compliant food labelling shall be jeopardized;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 e (new)

10e. Welcomes the willingness of the parties expressed in Article 28 to promote dialogue and enhance cooperation on fisheries policies in accordance with the precautionary and ecosystem approaches, with a view to promoting long-term conservation, effective management and sustainable use of fishery resources; calls for enhanced cooperation to safe endangered maritime species such as Bluefin tuna; reiterates its demand to end whale hunting at last, and calls in particular on Japan to respect all resolutions of the IWC; stresses the need to prohibit also forms of commercial whaling disguised as scientific whaling;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 f (new)

10f. Welcomes the commitment to Decent Work expressed in Article 30; deplores the fact that Japan has not yet ratified the two ILO core conventions on discrimination and on the abolition of forced labour, and joins the call by EU and Japanese trade unions for this lack to be remedied promptly;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Considers that the EU and Japan, as leading global donors with a long history of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to less developed countries in East Asia and, more recently, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, are natural partners, together with recipient governments, in coordinating aid and ensuring coherence in their development policy and humanitarian action; notes that the SPA pushes for a strengthened cooperation in prevention, mitigation, response and recovery from disasters and emergency relief operations; welcomes that the SPA fosters the two partners’ coordination in crisis management and peace-building operations;

Amendment 64 #