There is no way Japan can abide the tariff-cutting formula proposed by the United States at the ongoing session of farm trade talks at the World Trade Organization, a Japanese official said Tuesday while pushing Japan's proposed formula.
Hidenori Murakami, director general for international affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the March 2003 deadline for "modalities" on farm-trade talks would be jeopardized if the U.S. insists on a uniform 25 percent tariff cap for all farm imports.
Negotiators at the WTO-sponsored talks aim to produce numerical targets and other "modalities" for their agricultural reform commitments by March 31.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Murakami said the U.S. proposal, also backed by the Australia-led Cairns group of farm-exporting countries, is "not realistic."