U.S. Pressures Japan to Cede More Ground on Trade Ahead of Talks
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Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg
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The U.S. is pressing Japan to cede more ground on trade even before the first round of talks on tariff reductions takes place, prompting pushback from Tokyo.
Spooked by the threat of sanctions on its profitable auto sector, Japan agreed last month to start talks on tariffs after nearly two years of foot-dragging. In a statement following a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York last month, the two countries agreed Japan would not grant U.S. farm goods more access than it has given other countries in existing pacts.