Aso challenges US trade imbalance charge

WASHINGTON: Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday trade imbalances could not be fixed through exchange-rate adjustments alone. Earlier, United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called on the International Monetary Fund

(IMF) to enhance surveillance of exchange rates and external imbalances, as large trade imbalances would hamper “free and fair” trade. But Aso told the IMF there were limits to using exchange-rate assessments to address current account imbalances. Agencies