The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) are in discussions about the possibility of a formal cooperation agreement on competition issues between Australia and Japan.
Recent discussions between ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, and Chairman of the JFTC, Mr Kazuhiko Takeshima, were very positive and focused on the benefits of enhanced cooperation and coordination in the application of competition laws in a global context. Agreement was reached that officials of the respective agencies will continue dialogue to examine the scope of a possible cooperation agreement.
The proposed cooperation agreement on competition issues is a part of current discussions between the Government of Australia and the Government of Japan in exploring options for deeper economic linkages.