The United States urged Japan on Monday not to impose emergency measures to curb beef imports from the U.S. and other countries, as expected later this year.
In an annual trade policy report submitted to Congress, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative also called on Japan to further open up its rice market and pressed Japan and the European Union to reduce farm tariffs and subsidies for a successful conclusion of the new round of global trade talks.
"The United States is very concerned over indications that Japan will increase tariffs on beef . . . through imposition of an emergency beef tariff measure," the report says.
"While the U.S. acknowledges the technical trigger for imposing this measure, the United States considers its use under the existing circumstances to be improper," it says.