USTR Releases Details on Japanese Agricultural Tariff Cuts Under 'Mini-Deal'

Japan will eliminate or reduce tariffs on $7.2 billion of U.S. food and agriculture exports under a mini-deal with the country that the administration says replicates the agricultural access the U.S. would have received if it had joined the Trans Pacific Partnership. The U.S. Trade Representative announced the deal without saying when the agreement will come into effect. It does not require a vote of Congress to be ratified.

Tariffs will be eliminated immediately on $1.3 billion worth of exports, including almonds, blueberries, cranberries, sweet corn, sorghum, broccoli, prunes and food supplements. There will be gradual tariff elimination on $3 billion worth of exports, including wine, cheese and whey, ethanol, frozen poultry, processed pork, fresh cherries, oranges, frozen potatoes, beef offal, tomato paste and egg products. There will be gradual reduced tariffs on fresh and frozen beef and fresh and frozen pork. Japan will be able to apply safeguards if there are import surges of beef, pork, whey, oranges and race horses, but they will be phased out. The U.S. will also receive a tariff rate quota for wheat, malt, glucose, fructose, inulin, corn starch and potato starch.