Japan and the United States will hold their first bilateral trade talks in Washington on Aug. 9, Japan's economy minister said today. US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed in April to set up a new framework to discuss free, fair and reciprocal trade.
Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan's economy minister said he would like constructive talks on expanding free trade.
US protectionist trade policies by Trump have raised concerns about global trade and the economy, and his threats to impose tariffs on US imports were criticized both internally and externally. Japan's trade surplus with the United States could be a potential target for Trump's trade policies.
