The United States and Japan will likely launch trade talks in March, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Wednesday, suggesting the dialogue would begin earlier than had been anticipated.
Washington's top trade negotiator made the remarks during congressional testimony. The bilateral talks had been expected to begin in April or May as the U.S. first needs to focus on ongoing negotiations with China to settle a tariff war.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed last September to start the negotiations. Tokyo has said talks on a trade deal with Washington will focus primarily on goods, seeming to preclude a more wide-ranging free trade agreement.