US, Japan trade talks in motion

– Japan’s Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said yesterday that bilateral talks on trade under a new framework led by him and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer won’t begin until mid-June at least.

In a summit last week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump agreed to set up a framework focusing on bilateral trade led by Motegi and Lighthizer.

The move could put Japan under direct US pressure to enter talks for a bilateral free trade agreement. –