Japan, U.S. share broad understanding over trade: Motegi

This is actually true, now that the Trump administration is in power. Both sides see trade as a zero-sum gain, where trade surpluses are good, deficits bad.

Free trade is a great way to ramp up exports, while markets at home need to be protected with subsidies and other NTBs, they both agree. As Japanese media and politicians say over and over, "cut-throat competition from a flood of cheap imports."

Welcome to the world of "free trade."