Trump shows hope to launch US-Japan FTA talks

November 6, 2017

TOKYO- Visiting US President Donald Trump on Monday voiced his strong hope for his country and Japan to commence talks on concluding a bilateral free trade agreement, while complaining about the huge US trade deficit with Japan.

"I know that we will be able to come up with trade deals and trade concepts that are going to be fair to both countries," Trump said in a speech before Japanese and US economic officials at US Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty's official residence in Tokyo.

"I have no doubt that it will be done in a quick and very friendly manner," said Trump, who is on the first visit to Japan since taking office in January.

"The United States has suffered massive trade deficits with Japan for many, many years," Trump said. "We want fair and open trade. But right now, our trade with Japan is not fair, and it's not open."

While many millions of Japanese automobiles are sold in the United States, "virtually no cars go from the United States into Japan," Trump said. "So we'll have to negotiate that out, and we'll do it in a very friendly way," he said.

Trump defended his country's withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal early this year, saying, "We will have more trade than anybody ever thought of under the TPP."

During the presidential election campaign last year, Trump vowed to trim his country's trade deficits, urging Japan to reduce its surplus in trade with the United States.

In the second round of the two countries' economic dialogue, held in Washington last month, US.Vice President Mike Pence conveyed to Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso the US government's keen desire to open negotiations on a bilateral FTA with Japan.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is accompanying Trump on his Japan visit, referred to a possible start of FTA talks between the two countries, at a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Sunday. Jiji Press