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Europe's WTO farm tariff plan rejected by Japan's officials

Japan rejected a WTO proposal to slash state subsidies for farmers, saying it would hurt agriculture in the world's second biggest economy.

"The proposed cuts are far too ambitious. It would severely damage agriculture in Japan," said Tadamori Oshima, Japan's agriculture minister.

Import tariffs on some products would be cut by 60 percent under the proposal and Japan's 490 percent levy on imported rice almost halved, Oshima said.

An informal three-day meeting of the WTO in Tokyo starting Friday will discuss the proposal. The gathering will try to iron out differences that might threaten prospects for a global accord on trade in manufactured goods and services worth an estimated US$700 billion over the next decade. All 145 WTO members meet in Cancun, Mexico in September to discuss lowering trade barriers.
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