Trade Minister Yoji Muto will skip a gathering of trade chiefs this week, a decision that will likely lower Tokyo’s chances of holding meaningful bilateral talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the meeting.
Top trade official Ryosei Akazawa, who leads Japan’s tariff task force, also won’t attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. Instead, state trade minister Masaki Ogushi will represent Japan at the discussions in Jeju, South Korea on May 15-16, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Ogushi serves on Akazawa’s team.
This won’t be the first time Japan’s trade minister will miss the APEC gathering in recent years, but in the new protectionist environment triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff campaign, the stakes are higher than usual for a meeting with U.S. officials. The decision may point to a growing reluctance in Tokyo to hurry into a deal, especially if it leaves key auto levies in place.
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