ＲＣＥＰ協定の履行確認　発効後初の閣僚会合―カンボジア

　【シエムレアプ（カンボジア北西部）時事】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）閣僚会合が１７日、カンボジア北西部のシエムレアプで開かれた。今年１月１日の協定発効後、初の会合で、協定の履行状況などを確認した。
　日本から出席した西村康稔経済産業相は会合後、記者団に「関税などの自由化とルールの双方の完全な履行の重要性を強調した」と説明した。ＲＣＥＰは、物品関税の撤廃・削減や知的財産の保護、電子商取引ルールなど幅広い分野に及ぶ。今後、定期的に閣僚会合を開いて意見交換する。（2022/09/18-00:07）

Ministers from the signatory countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement held a meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on Saturday.
   In the first ministerial meeting since RCEP took effect Jan. 1 this year, participants confirmed how the pact is being implemented.
   After taking part in the meeting, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters, "I stressed the importance of completely implementing both the liberalization, including tariffs (elimination or cuts), and the rules."
   RCEP involves 15 nations--Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand plus the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is a wide-ranging agreement calling for scrapping or cutting tariffs on industrial goods, including automobiles, and agricultural produce, and writing new rules for e-commerce and intellectual property protection.
   RCEP signatory countries will hold ministerial meetings on a regular basis to exchange opinions.