Talks were held between Japan and the US on 9 and 10 April 2014 to consider the remaining issues relating to the terms of the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. The main problems between the US and Japan concern Japan’s agricultural import duties, such as for example the duties imposed on dairy products, sugar, rice, wheat, beef and pork. The US has also objected to Japan’s request for US import tariffs on motor vehicles to be reduced.
Japan has suggested that it could reduce its tariffs on beef to some extent, and could grant concessions that are greater than those recently agreed with Australia. The tariff could be cut as far as 10 percent, but a higher rate could be reintroduced if this led to a very fast increase in US beef imports.
