Japan and Germany over the weekend announced an agreement to work together on free trade. The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s removal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which included Japan. TPP was estimated to be worth $4 billion to U.S. agriculture. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (sheen-zoh ah-bay) both called for a free trade deal to be reached quickly between Japan and the European Union. Neither leader mentioned the United States, but Reuters says the move is seen as a positioning away from protectionists trade views demonstrated by President Trump. The comments also follow a meeting of TPP nations last week in Chile focusing on the next chapter of the trade agreement without the United States.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.