At a glance, it may appear U.S. President Donald Trump has scored a significant victory after his latest talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York.
After taking a defensive posture on trade since Trump was inaugurated in 2016, Abe has finally agreed to strike a compromise and accept what his government had long rejected — bilateral trade talks with the U.S.
But examining the substance, Tokyo enters the negotiations without having to make critical concessions beyond those of its current multinational trade deals with other countries.