U.S. to push for comprehensive free trade agreement as it looks to open up Japan’s agriculture market

03/20/2019

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Kyodo, Jiji | The Japan Times

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration will push for a comprehensive free trade agreement with Japan and signaled his eagerness to seek a further opening of the country’s agriculture market.

In the Economic Report of the President, Trump expressed his frustration over Japanese tariffs on beef and pork, suggesting that his administration will adopt a tough stance in its trade negotiations with Tokyo, which are slated to be launched shortly.

Naming an envisaged pact with the United States as a trade agreement on goods, the Japanese government has said that the upcoming negotiations will mainly target tariff issues.

By contrast, the U.S. government is eyeing a more comprehensive FTA with Japan that would also cover the services sector as well as foreign exchange issues.

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