politics

U.S. urges Japan to cut tariffs for farm goods

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Washington seeking to improve the competitiveness of U.S. produce at a time when Pacific free trade pact members are exporting to Japan at lower tariff rates.

Pacific pact already exporting to Japan at lower tariff and the lower tariff hasn't translated to cheaper prices for consumers meaning importers are keeping the windfall from the lower tariff and the government is doing nothing to ensure consumers benefit.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Perdue told reporters, adding that the United States simply wants "to be treated as a good customer with a reciprocal type of treatment regarding the things that we export."

Average J citizen already buys more AMerican made products, than vice versa, for America to balance the two way trade Japanese would have to buy twice as much Amercian products as AMericans buy Japanese. Vast majority of Japanese vehicles sold in the US are made by US workers supporting the US workforce. Id say the reciprocal treatment is more than fair. Japanese companies invest far more money in the US economy than vise versa.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

What are the Americans willing to do in return? Drop the tarrifs on steel and alunimun?

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Trumps tariff policy is making it very tough for US farmers and this may make it difficult for Trumps re-election. So let US allies bail him out! So reciprocal Chinese tariffs are taking their toll on US farmers. Simple, kick Trump out and re-negotiate the tariffs and trade deal without US threats and bullying. Plain evidence of what I keep saying: without its allies the US is a drop in the bucket and the US only has the strength the nations of the globe allow it to have. It to find another world policeman, the US is corrupt and living with delusions of grandeur.

1

0 ( +5 / -5 )

TPP would have ensured that. Trump stinking up the Pacific as well as the rest of the planet.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Trumps tariff policy is making it very tough for US farmers and this may make it difficult for Trumps re-election.

I totally disagree, I think Trump will get reelected either that or they can go the socialist way in America is not going to go that way. It is going to be very tough but at the same time even the Democrats think Trump should stand tough when it comes to trade.

So let US allies bail him out! So reciprocal Chinese tariffs are taking their toll on US farmers.

As well as on the Chinese.

Simple, kick Trump out and re-negotiate the tariffs and trade deal without US threats and bullying. Plain evidence of what I keep saying: without its allies the US is a drop in the bucket and the US only has the strength the nations of the globe allow it to have. It to find another world policeman, the US is corrupt and living with delusions of grandeur.

What? Maybe in a theoretical world perhaps.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

No wonder the Japanese are showing little enthusiasm. The last thing they want to have to deal with is angry trade partners incensed that America has secured a better deal negotiating from outside the TPP than what those countries negotiating in good faith from within the pact were able to achieve. Unfortunately for Japan, it’s caught in a cleft stick of its own making and has little choice but to ‘accept the unacceptable and endure the unendurable.’ That, or face tarrification Trump style.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I think Trump will get reelected either that or they can go the socialist way in America is not going to go that way.

Umm, subsidies are socialism and Trump is spending an extra (unpaid for) $12 billion on farmer welfare. Will farmers be anti welfare now they are the welfare queens Reagan was so angry about?

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/us/politics/farming-trump-trade-war.html

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Abe's base is rural farmers. He can't lose his base, so this will never happen.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I think Americans eat better than Japanese. I want to eat again what I ate at my American friend's house before. They are delicious big hams, canned Oregon apricots, turkey sandwiches and snack foods like pork skins and chewy gum like sticks with different flavors which I cannot recall the name of it. They are not available at Japanese stores. Import more and various foods from America! I am bored eating Japanese foods.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

wtfjapan: “Average J citizen already buys more AMerican made products, than vice versa, for America to balance the two way trade Japanese would have to buy twice as much Amercian products as AMericans buy Japanese.”

Using your own logic, China should be running an enormous trade deficit with America. Because there are four and a half times as many Chinese as Americans. Instead, just as with Japan, there too we see engineered structural barriers and market manipulation designed to perpetuate unequal trade and the ratcheting up of enormous unsustainable imbalances always in their favor. The sooner Japan and China accept that the days of treating America like a cat’s paw on trade are over, the better for all concerned.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Drop tariffs only on case by case, limited basis. Many US farm products are GM, will be rejected outright by Japanese. Yes Japanese produce is expensive compared to mass produced US foods, but it matches Japanese taste and is safest.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

zichi; in what parallel universe are subsidies and price support not standard operating procedure across most industries? You make it sound like America is some kind of outlier, when in fact it is hardly that.

Certainly Japan can’t be considered a bastion of non-interference with its cosseted farming and automobile sectors and long suffering consumers denied the kind of food and vehicle choices taken for granted elsewhere.

If you accept that protecting the livelihood of farmers justifies government price support and there’s nothing wrong with expecting consumers to pay high prices and be denied food imports, then you must also accept that other governments, in this case America, have not only the right but the responsibility to look after their own.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

The Trump "art of the deal" can't be trusted and will pull out of any deal he cares too.

kinda like wives and AV stars, well except the pull out part.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What are the Americans willing to do in return?

to drop their threat of raising auto tariffs.  I think Japan should accept auto tariffs instead.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What 'farm products' are we talking about?

I see American broccoli, oranges, raisins etc., in the supermarket, which tend to be cheaper than domestic produce anyway... how much cheaper do they want things?

Tofu sometimes has 'American and/or Canadian soybeans' in the ingredients list, and that tofu tends to be cheaper than the stuff that has 'Contains no GMO' on the label. It's also the last left on the shelf after all the more expensive, non-GMO stuff has gone.

I'm sure a lot of the corn etc., goes to animal feed, so we don't see it....

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hhahahahahaha American idiots... TPP anyone?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

zichi: it is the prerogative of the American Government, just as it is for the governments of all other countries, to do exactly as it wishes with the revenue that it raises. If the people of America are unhappy with the way that money is being spent, they will have an opportunity to pass judgement at the next election. What you see as a hypocritical betrayal of doctrinaire capitalism, others see as a highly laudable defence of American interests, especially his going in to bat for a farm sector long denied a place at the table by Japan’s cartel dominated overseers.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yes Japanese produce is expensive compared to mass produced US foods, but it matches Japanese taste and is safest.

Brainwashed

Safest my foot

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"If you think Americans eat better than the Japanese, why do the Japanese outlive them."

No clue; claims to be "Japanese".

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If you think Americans eat better than the Japanese, why do the Japanese outlive them.

He’s just complimenting to be humble. It’s a common technique used to attain a favorable impression. Most Japanese don’t believe that and I doubt he does as well.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nations have become more civilized. The US is at least sitting at a table and making requests. In the old days countries just sail some ships up to your coast and have the canons shoot at you if you don’t buy their shite or like the British start selling you some drugs.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The Japanese have this senior/junior 先輩/後輩 system where if you go out to eat, the senior pays most of the bill if not the whole bill. The US as the senior to Japan, doesn’t mind treating or paying more, but every once in a while, don’t you think the junior can treat or at least pay his full share?

“We don’t want US products” would be saying “we don’t want to pay more for dinner, you sempei, just keep paying more for us.”

“Can you pay a little more?”

“No thank you, we Japan want to pay less. Thank you very much.”

It’s a privilege to have access to a country’s market. The US could have been stingy and control market entry and access but as the number one economy, it is generous in allowing Japanese and Chinese exporters to trade freely. But don’t take too much advantage.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Just say no

1 ( +2 / -1 )

milk is collapsing as an industry anyway, being replaced by plant milks

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

get your *** back to TPP then. problem solved

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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