Japan eyes trade pact concessions as US talks start
America puts pressure on Japan to scrap tariffs on agricultural products as part of Pacific deal
Japan could make concessions on tariffs on some sensitive farm products as US and Japanese officials began talks ahead of next week's high-level multilateral negotiations on a US-led free trade deal, a key cabinet minister said.
A deal between the United States and Japan, the two biggest economies taking part in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact, is vital if a broad agreement is to be clinched at talks among all 12 participants in Singapore from Monday.
The US had hoped to wrap up the TPP, which aims to cut tariffs in countries forming 40 per cent of the world economy and set common standards on other issues, by the end of last year.
But obstacles remain over issues including Japanese protection of sensitive agricultural products, such as rice, and US carmakers' fears of increased competition from Japan.
I don’t think anyone thinks there will be no change in any of the tariff lines
"If we were not to move even slightly on any product line in the five categories [that Japan has vowed to protect], that would not be negotiations," Japanese economics minister Akira Amari told a news conference yesterday.
"I don't think anyone thinks there will be no change in any of the tariff lines."