ＲＣＥＰ、国会で承認　世界経済３割の巨大貿易圏

　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）が２８日の参院本会議で承認された。工業製品を中心に９１％の品目で関税を撤廃し、世界経済の３割を占める巨大な自由貿易圏が誕生する。日本が中韓両国と初めて結ぶ経済連携協定（ＥＰＡ）となる。
　協定はＡＳＥＡＮのうち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。
　ＲＣＥＰは、自動車をはじめ工業製品や農産品の関税撤廃、電子商取引、知的財産権の保護ルールなど幅広い分野を対象とする。日本が「聖域」とするコメ、麦、牛肉・豚肉、乳製品、砂糖の重要５項目は、輸入する際の関税削減の対象から除外された。（2021/04/28-10:13）

The Diet, Japan's parliament, on Wednesday approved the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade deal among 15 Asian and Oceanian countries.
   The RCEP deal was approved at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet. The House of Representatives, the lower chamber, gave its approval earlier this month.
   Under the deal, which will create a huge 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.
   The RCEP deal will be Japan's first economic partnership agreement involving China or South Korea. The remaining participants are Australia, New Zealand and the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
   The pact will come into force after necessary domestic procedures are completed in at least six of the ASEAN member states and three other countries.