Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement Ministerial Meeting Completed all negotiations

Over the new trade agreement between Japan and the United States, Foreign Minister Mogi faced a ministerial talk with Trade Representative Lightheiser in front of the summit meeting held on the 26th. After the completion, Minister Mogi said, “All the negotiations were over today. I would like to announce the agreed content as soon as possible after confirming it at the summit.”

Last month, the foreign minister of Japan and the United States reached a de facto agreement, and before the summit meeting on the 26th of Japan time, Mr. Mogi started his visit from 10:00 am Japan time to New York City. At a hotel in the city, a ministerial talk with the Trade Representative of Lightheiser was held, and the talk ended at around 11:20 am.

After the meeting, Minister Mogi told reporters, “All the negotiations were over today. I think we can have a good ceremony at the Japan-US summit. After confirming the agreed content at the summit, I want to announce it. "

On that basis, Mr. Motegi said the signing of the agreement, “We are working on a huge amount of work and are not so late from our goal of signing the agreement at the end of this month. It ’s important for the process to come into effect early through the domestic process, and it ’s extremely smooth from the perspective of that process. ”

Under the new trade agreement, the Japanese government intends to respond to the opening of the agricultural products market demanded by the United States to the extent that it does not exceed the level of the TPP = Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. In addition, the final adjustment was made for staple foods, including the drastic reduction of the 70,000 tons of tariff-free import quota set by the United States in the United States during the TPP negotiations. .

On the other hand, with regard to industrial products, the Japanese government expects that the handling of automobile tariffs that Japan is seeking to abolish will continue to be discussed, and the Japanese government wants to confirm in writing that the United States will not trigger additional tariffs or quantity restrictions on Japanese cars. It is an idea.

Mr. Motegi said that the handling of automobile tariffs is “not a worrying matter”.

The two governments have been aiming to sign the agreement at the summit meeting on the 26th, but since the work is not in time, the two leaders will confirm the final agreement of the negotiations in writing.

Nobu Eto “Understanding Negotiations with the Demand to Stay”

Mr. Eto, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting about the talks about the new trade agreement between Japan and the United States. I want you to persevere and stick to Japan's claims, and I intend to stay in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the timing of my job, ”he said.

On that basis, Minister Eto said, “I believe that it will be safeguarded” in response to the question of whether the tariffs on agricultural products will exceed the level of the TPP = Pacific Partnership Agreement.