TRUMP SEES ‘BIG PROGRESS’ AFTER JUMPING INTO JAPAN TARIFF TALKS – Japan is one of the first countries to formally kick off negotiations
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was “big progress” when he made the surprise move to negotiate directly with a Japanese trade delegation in Washington about the tariffs he has imposed on global imports.
After meeting with Japan’s representatives led by economic revitalization minister Ry-osei Aka-zawa, Trump posted a photo of him with Akazawa on his social media site. Accompanying text with the photo read, “A Great Honor to have just met with the Japanese Delegation on Trade. Big Progress!”.
Japan is one of the first countries to formally kick off negotiations, an early test of Washington’s willingness to cede ground on the duties that have roiled financial markets and stoked fear of recession.
Akazawa, a confidant of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, only took up his first cabinet post late last year in the relatively junior position of economic revitalisation minister.
