A cabinet minister says Japan will try to protect its national interest if it joins the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact.

National Policy Minister Motohisa Furukawa spoke at a symposium on the TPP in Nagoya City, central Japan, on Sunday.

Japan has begun discussions with the United States and other nations to take part in the negotiations on the pact.

Furukawa said the government understands that the countries are not discussing genetically modified foods in their talks on food safety. He also said New Zealand wants its regulations respected to ensure that food safety is maintained.

One of the panelists said the US will certainly take the initiative in the TPP talks. Furukawa said Japan will work with countries that have shared interests to protect its own national interest.

Some members of the audience asked whether Japan's medical insurance system will remain intact if the country joins the TPP.

Others expressed concern that Japanese people will lose jobs if Japan starts to accept more foreign workers.

Sunday's event was the first of 9 symposiums the government plans to hold across Japan to help deepen public understanding about the free trade pact.

News credit: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120219_22.html

Image credit: http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/noda/meibo/daijin/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2012/01/25/furukawa.jpg