Countries will rush to join TPP once it's up: Japanese minister

Tokyo

AN "avalanche" of countries will rush to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) once the Asia-Pacific pact becomes operational, said Japan's minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akira Amari on Monday.

He said at a briefing that five countries were "waiting in the wings" to join the trade and investment pact signed by the trade ministers of 12 countries (including Singapore) in Atlanta last month.