All commercial broadcasters and national dailies reported the House of Councillors approved the GOJ legislation on the U.S.-Japan trade deal today, saying the two agreements are expected to take effect on Jan. 1. Nikkei said as a result of the effectuation of the trade pacts, the proportion of Japan’s trade covered by bilateral and multilateral FTAs and EPAs in monetary terms will amount to 52% of its overall trade. Explaining Japan will clear the 50% benchmark for the first time since it decided to proactively seek free trade deals with foreign partners some 20 years ago, the business daily said Japan can finally be categorized as a “trading nation.”