Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Trump is looking forward to a trade deal with Japan “sooner rather than later.” The website FXStreet.com says Perdue called on Japan to quickly strike a trade deal with Washington that would cover farm products and a host of other goods. Perdue says the two countries can’t kick the trade can down the road forever and the president would “welcome an agreement” when he meets with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later this year. In the same comments, Perdue acknowledged that a quick deal might be difficult.
The details of the negotiations, including the timing of an eventual deal, are being left to the top negotiators of both countries. “We are very much aware of the elections of the upper body of Japan’s Parliament in July,” Perdue says. “We are respectful of that, but President Trump is expecting that Japan would treat us as the premier customer we are.”
Trump hosted Abe at the White House last month. He hopes to clinch a deal in time for his visit to Tokyo on May 25-28.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasters