Trans-Pacific Partnership: No deal in US-Japan trade talks

WASHINGTON: The United States said there had been progress but no final deal in talks with Japan that are crucial to advancing the ambitious 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. Negotiations failed to achieve a significant breakthrough just days before US President Barack Obama, who has made the TPP a key goal of his administration, arrives in Tokyo on a state visit. Intense negotiations this week narrowed the gap between the two sides, but considerable differences remain, US Trade Representative Michael Froman said after his meetings with Japanese Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Akira Amari. “The round we just completed was focused but difficult. After more than 20 hours of negotiations, we continue to make progress, and we are now faced with a reasonable number of outstanding issues.” The two sides have been wrestling in particular over Japan’s barriers to importing US autos and farm products.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2014.

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