Yoshihide Munekuni, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, called Monday on the United States and the European Union to eliminate tariffs on autos imported from Japan.
Munekuni made the call in remarks to reporters, noting European consumers pay about $1 billion in taxes a year in buying Japanese automobiles.
The U.S. slaps a 2.5 percent tariff on auto imports from Japan, and the EU imposes a 10 percent tariff.
Munekuni said he expects to see progress in resolving the tariff issue at a ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization in Mexico in September.
Munekuni, also chairman of Honda Motor Co., is visiting Brussels for a meeting of auto industry leaders Tuesday.