March 14, 2014
WASHINGTON – Japan and the United States have moved no closer to overcoming their differences regarding tariffs on Japanese farm produce, including beef and pork, that are an obstacle to conclusion of a Pacific free trade pact.
A Japanese official on Wednesday hinted most of their two-day talks were dedicated to discussions about the tariffs on meat, which is one of what Tokyo calls five sensitive produce categories in the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal.
The lack of progress in the talks between the two biggest economies in the envisioned TPP could diminish the prospect for an agreement on the contentious issue ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit to Japan in late April.
“I cannot say we have made a major breakthrough,” Hiroshi Oe, deputy chief Japanese negotiator for the TPP, told the reporters after the talks with Wendy Cutler, acting deputy US trade representative.
“We especially discussed one of the five (sensitive) items in which American stakeholders are strongly interested,” Oe said. The US side has strongly demanded Japan remove tariffs on beef and pork in past negotiations.
“There is still a long way to go,” Oe said. “I cannot help saying a big gap remains between our positions.”
Asked what Obama’s planned visit to Japan next month means to the ongoing negotiations, Oe said, “It could be a goal but not the deadline.”
While acknowledging that “significant gaps remain,” the office of US Trade Representative said in a statement that Cutler and Oe agreed to continue discussions to narrow the gaps.
Oe said the next round of the talks is likely to be held in Japan but stopped short of saying when.
The US government has urged Japan to lift tariffs on beef and pork as well as four other categories – rice, wheat, dairy products and sugar – in negotiations for the TPP.
(KYODO)