Japan, U.S. to Resume Working-Level TPP Talks Next Week

Tokyo, March 5 (Jiji Press)--Japan and the United States are expected to resume bilateral working-level talks related to Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade negotiations next week, informed sources have said. Hiroshi Oe, Japan's acting chief negotiator, is likely to visit the United States and hold a meeting with Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler for discussions on the handling of tariffs on five key farm product categories for Japan and other sensitive areas, the sources said. The two countries have been sharply divided over the tariff issue. While the United States is sticking to the TPP's principle of blanket tariff removal, Japan hopes to keep tariffs on the five categories--rice, beef and pork, wheat and barley, sugar and starch, and dairy products, as an exception to the tariff elimination rule. During last month's ministerial talks in Singapore among Japan, the United States and 10 other countries participating in the TPP negotiations, Japanese TPP minister Akira Amari and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman held two rounds of bilateral meetings. But they were unable to bridge the gap, and the two sides decided to continue discussions among working-level officials. Still, it remains to be seen if the two countries can break the stalemate. One source familiar with the situation said that the United States needs to make concessions to help the two countries strike an accord. A U.S. industry source, however, said that the U.S. government will never compromise in the face of strong pressure from the congress. END