Japan, U.S. to Hold 2nd Round of Trade Talks on Mon.

September 21, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese economic revitalization minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday that Japan and the United States will hold the second round of bilateral trade talks in New York on Monday.

At a press conference, Motegi expressed hope that the talks will contribute to the planned bilateral summit so the Japanese and U.S. leaders can reach an agreement to boost trade and investment.

The United States is considering launching additional tariffs on automobiles and auto parts imported from Japan and other countries.

Asked about the possibility that the United States may offer an exemption from the tariffs to elicit a Japanese concession in agricultural and other fields, Motegi said he has not discussed such a matter at least with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

"Japan's position on agriculture is consistent, and therefore we don't expect to have any detailed discussion on it," Motegi said.

The two countries decided to launch the "free, fair and reciprocal," or FFR, talks at a bilateral summit in April as a framework for ministerial discussions on trade and investment.

The second round was rescheduled from Friday to a date closer to the summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump slated for Wednesday.

Separately, Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko will meet his U.S. and European Union counterparts in New York on Tuesday to discuss measures to deal with unfair trade practices, the trade ministry said Friday.

The three-way meeting, the fourth of its kind, is expected to be attended by Lighthizer and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstroem.

Seko told a press conference that the ministers will hold deeper discussions on World Trade Organization reforms and other issues. Jiji Press