U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are aiming to sign a trade deal at a meeting this week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York that provides increased access to Japan for U.S. agricultural goods and bilateral cuts in industrial goods tariffs.
The New York Times earlier reported that Japan was demanding a “sunset clause” that would cancel any trade benefits for the United States if Trump imposes the auto tariffs on Japanese vehicles. “Frankly speaking, we still have some time and all my colleagues in the government are making their best efforts to actually meet this target,” Ohtaka said.
These people, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the issue could delay the signing of a U.S.-Japan trade deal until subsequent weeks.