TOKYO - Member countries of the trans-Pacific free trade pact will begin "preliminary talks" to add Indonesia, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates to the group, a joint ministerial statement said Friday.
Aiming to lay the groundwork for formal accession negotiations, the 12 members of the pact, known formally as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, confirmed the policy during an online meeting.
To join, applicants must meet various standards, including eliminating tariffs on a broad range of goods and adhering to rules on intellectual property protection, while the consent of all current member countries is required to enter accession negotiations.
The group has for the first time established a framework for preliminary negotiations as a precursor to formal talks. It has formed a policy to review the domestic systems and trade rules of applicant countries in light of the agreement's standards.
Cambodia in November 2025 applied for CPTPP membership while Argentina applied earlier this month. The group's prominence as a framework supporting free trade is growing amid global protectionist trends like the U.S. high tariff policies and economic pressure from China.
The member countries also issued a statement emphasizing cooperation in the energy sector in response to the crisis in the Middle East.
The pact took effect in 2018 after the United States withdrew during President Donald Trump's first term.
The current members are Australia, Britain, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
