Abe, Trump agree to start Japan-US trade talks

April 19, 2018

Palm Beach, Florida- Visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to start bilateral trade talks under the existing framework of economic dialogue.

"We'll start discussions for free, fair and reciprocal trade," Abe told a joint news conference with Trump to announce the outcome of their two-day summit at the president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, from Tuesday.

Abe expressed confidence that the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade deal, from which the United States withdrew last year, remains the best option for Tokyo and Washington.

Meanwhile, Trump said, "I don't want to go back into TPP."

"If they offer us a deal that I can't refuse on behalf of the United States, I would do it. But I like bilateral better," he continued.

"What I really prefer is negotiating a one-on-one deal with Japan," the president also said.

The two leaders' second-day talks, which focused on trade issues, lasted some two hours.

Trump expressed his wish to reduce his country's trade deficit with Japan and achieve a balance if possible.

The new trade dialogue will be held between Japanese trade minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, under the existing framework of economic dialogue between Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Vice President Mike Pence.

Abe explained in the press conference that the trade dialogue is intended to "realize the economic development of a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on fair rules."

Regarding the United States' recently introduced additional steel and aluminum tariffs, Abe said: "Japanese steel and aluminum are not having a negative impact on U.S. security. They are rather making great contributions to industries and employment in the United States."

Trump, for his part, indicated that an agreement in the upcoming bilateral trade dialogue would be a prerequisite for exempting Japan from the new tariffs.

"If we can come to an arrangement on a new deal between the United States and Japan, ...I would look forward to being able to, at some point in the future, take them off," Trump said.

Pence, Motegi and Lighthizer were among those present at Wednesday's meeting between Abe and Trump. Some US participants voiced expectations about a free trade agreement with Japan.

Meeting the press in Palm Beach after the Japan-US summit, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said Trump did not use the term "FTA" when he talked about the new bilateral trade dialogue.

While Abe and Trump showed differing positions on trade, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference in Tokyo, "It's not that they remained apart through the end." The leaders did agree to start the trade dialogue, Suga stressed.

The two leaders focused their first-day discussions on a planned summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which is expected to be held in May or early June.

At the joint news conference, Abe said he and Trump agreed that past mistakes should not be repeated and that Washington should seek Pyongyang's concrete action toward denuclearization.

Stressing he had in-depth discussions with Trump for policy coordination toward the first US-North Korea summit, Abe said, "It is pointless to worry that Japan is being left behind."

Trump said, "Our campaign of maximum pressure will continue until North Korea denuclearizes."

The president once again vowed to bring up the issue of Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals when he meets with Kim, saying, "We're going to do everything possible to have them brought back."

During the summit, Abe and Trump agreed to make efforts to reduce Okinawa Prefecture's burden of hosting US military bases and ensure the safety of aircraft operations after a series of accidents in Okinawa.

They also shared the view that China should stop the militarization of the South China Sea. Trump reconfirmed that the United States has the obligation to protect the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, claimed by China, under the two countries' security treaty. Jiji Press