by Yan Lei
TOKYO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan has been pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement through the parliament, a desperate move to "save face" for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe but evokes criticism from the opposition camp.
Abe has told a special upper house committee that the ruling camp would stick to its plan to get the TPP ratified, despite the fact that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had made it clear that he would pull the United States out of the free trade pact on the first day in office.
Japan's ruling parties have decided to extend the current Diet session which is set to end on Nov. 30, partly aimed at ratifying the TPP pact as soon as possible and making Japan the first signatory to do it.
Renho Murata, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, however, blasted Abe's decision to speedily ratify the TPP, stressing the deliberations should be put off to a regular session of the National Diet early next year.
Japan has hoped to change Trump's stance on the TPP, especially after Abe's meeting with the businessman-turned politican on Nov. 17, as the Japanese prime minister said later that he had a "candid" discussion with Trump on a number of issues including trade policies.
Trump, however, "dealt a blow to Abe's foreign policy," according to local reports here, as he unveiled his first 100-day plan in office days later, which is topped by withdrawal from the TPP.
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