1. APEC Japan 2010 Economic Leaders’ Meeting

2. Prime Minister Kan’s Visit to the G20 Seoul Summit

3. The First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

4. The Aichi-Nagoya Ministerial Meeting of the REDD+ Partnership

5. COP10 to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

6. ASEAN related Summit Meetings

7. The PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting

8. The Eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 8)

9. Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

9. Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA): Final Round Resolves Nearly All Substantive Issues

   The eleventh and final round of the negotiations for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was concluded successfully in Tokyo, Japan on October 2, 2010, and the Government of Japan hosted the negotiations. Participants in the negotiations included Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States.

   Participants in the negotiations constructively resolved nearly all substantive issues and produced a consolidated and largely finalized text of the proposed agreement. Besides, during the week, the Government of Japan hosted informal meetings with stakeholders, including representatives from NGOs and business leaders, and the participants in the round.

   Japan congratulates this outcome, as it raised the necessity of the ACTA at the G8 Gleneagles Summit in 2005 and has promoted its negotiations thereafter. The ACTA is an agreement that will establish an international framework to more effectively combat the proliferation of counterfeiting and piracy, which undermines legitimate trade and the sustainable development of the world economy. It is expected to contribute to ensuring sound development of the world contents industry. Japan will work with other participants with a view to realizing early taking-into-effect of the ACTA. The Government of Japan wishes to engage in discussions with other countries and regions with a view to promoting understanding on the challenges in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy and to expanding international cooperation in this field.