U.S. schedules continued trade talks with Japan

   In a parallel effort with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler will visit Tokyo Aug. 7 to discuss non-tariff measures, insurance and Japan’s automobile trade with the United States.
   “Japan’s readiness to address longstanding concerns regarding its automotive and insurance sectors, as well as a number of non-tariff measures, was a critical factor in the decision of the United States to support Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” Cutler said in a statement.  “I look forward to initiating the parallel negotiations on these issues with my Japanese counterparts and to reaching meaningful agreements in a timely fashion.” 
   The United States and Japan first completed consultations about the Asian country’s interest in a trade partnership in April. This agreement included what an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative press release called “a robust package of agreements with Japan to negotiate meaningful and concrete outcomes in the automotive and insurance sectors, as well as in other non-tariff measure issue areas.”
   According to USTR, the United States has concerns about the Japanese trade market and is using the TPP talks to address them. – Jon Ross