Today's Edition
TOKYO (AFP)
The new US ambassador to Japan said Friday he was "extremely optimistic" that the two countries will agree a trade deal, after Tokyo's envoy held talks in Washington.
"I've met now with most of the principals who are in the room and doing the negotiating and talking this through. And I'm extremely optimistic that a deal will get done," George Glass told reporters.
"We have two very sophisticated economies that are very successful, and they are two of the top five economies of the world," he said at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
"And we have the best and the brightest from Japan there doing the negotiations. We have the best and brightest from the United States.
"The secretary of Treasury, the secretary of commerce are both people that I know and have spoken with and are brilliant in their fields," he said.
"And when I saw that President Trump then decided he was going to get involved and has now named this his top priority, that's why I have a lot of confidence that we'll get something done," Glass said.
Japanese companies are the biggest investors into the United States and Japan is a vital strategic ally for Washington in the Asia-Pacific region.
But Japan is subject to the same 10 percent baseline tariffs imposed by Trump on most countries as well as painful steeper levies on cars, steel and aluminum.
US President Donald Trump also imposed "reciprocal" tariffs on Japan of 24 percent, although these have been paused for 90 days along with those on other countries except China.
Japan's tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa met Trump on Wednesday and held talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
There was no immediate breakthrough, although the next round of negotiations is scheduled before the end of the month.
