Trump Says Trade Announcement With Japan Could Come Soon

The U.S. and Japan are moving quickly in trade talks and "trade-wise, I think we will be announcing some things, probably in August, that will be very good for both countries," President Donald Trump said in May 27 remarks before meeting with Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. Asked about that announcement during a press conference following the meeting, Abe said the two sides have agreed to "accelerate the talks between the ministers." Trump highlighted that Japan recently opened up its markets for U.S. beef (see 1905170042) and said "we hope to have even more to announce on the trade very, very soon."

During the press conference, Trump said Japan is planning to buy more than 100 U.S.-made F-35 aircraft. Trump said Japan was “one of the world’s top purchasers” of U.S. defense products in 2018 and the aircraft purchase would give it the ”largest F-35 fleet of any U.S. ally.” The move is a step toward the U.S. and Japan “working to improve our economic relationship,” Trump said. “Our goal is to reduce our trade deficit with Japan, remove trade barriers, and barriers of all kinds, so that U.S. exports will really have a fair and very profound footing,” Trump said.

Abe briefly spoke about the U.S.-China trade war, saying a solution to those negotiations would benefit Japan and other Asian countries. “It’s very important that there be stable economic relationship,” Abe said. “I hope that, continuously, U.S. and China will go through dialogue in order to seek constructive solution of the problem.” Trump said “sometime in the future” the U.S. and China will “absolutely have a great trade deal.”