Japan tariff negotiator speaks by phone with US commerce secretary
Japan's chief tariff negotiator Akazawa Ryosei and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have spoken by phone to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.
They talked for about 30 minutes on Saturday. Akazawa is currently in Washington for negotiations on US tariff measures.
The discussions were held with an eye toward the planned upcoming meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and US President Donald Trump. It is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada.
The phone conversation between Akazawa and Lutnick followed their in-person meeting the previous day. On Friday, they discussed such matters as trade expansion, non-tariff measures and cooperation in economic security.
Ishiba is set to leave Japan for Canada on Sunday.
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