ＲＣＥＰ承認案が審議入り　中韓両国と初の協定

　日中韓や東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）など１５カ国が参加する地域的な包括的経済連携（ＲＣＥＰ）の承認案が２日、衆院本会議で審議入りした。工業製品を中心に９１％の品目で関税を撤廃し、世界経済・貿易の３割を占める世界最大級の経済圏を創設する。日本が中韓両国と結ぶ初めての経済連携協定（ＥＰＡ）となる。
　協定は、ＡＳＥＡＮの６カ国と、それ以外の３カ国の国内手続き終了後に発効する。政府は、通常国会での早期承認を目指す。（2021/04/02-13:10）

The Diet, Japan's parliament, on Friday started debates on whether to approve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade deal, which was agreed on by Japan and 14 other nations in November last year.
   The deliberations kicked off at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet.
   Under the deal, which will create the world's largest free trade area accounting for some 30 pct of global gross domestic product and trade, tariffs will be abolished for 91 pct of products, mainly industrial products.
   Having signed the deal besides Japan are China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
   RCEP will be Japan's first economic partnership agreement with China or South Korea.