Japan will propose early next month that the World Trade Organization reform its decision-making process to make it more transparent and legitimate to all the 135-member economies, a government official said Tuesday. The mechanism in question is known as "Green Room," a private meeting of about 30 unspecified members of the WTO, which is held for preliminary discussions at the discretion of the director general to make it easier for the 135 member to settle on certain decisions. With qualifications for Green Room attendance and the substance of the meetings being opaque to a majority of the 135 members, the frustration of some WTO members erupted in Seattle early this month, leading to the WTO ministerial summit's failure to launch the new round of trade liberalization negotiations. The official said Japan will ask that the WTO make participation and discussions in the Green Room fair and transparent. To expedite a launch of the WTO new round, the Japanese government will convey the proposal to WTO Secretary General Mike Moore as well as the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, when three ministers visit Europe to attend Japan-EU meetings next month.
