Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, and Economic and Fiscal policy minister Toshimitsu Motegi, economic and fiscal policy minister, will visit Washing on Thursday.
Aso will meet US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and currency issues are believed to be the major focuses. Mnuchin said before that the US would likely include a provision regarding currency manipulation in any upcoming trade agreement with Japan. But it’s facing strong resistance.
Motegi will meet Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for trade negotiation. There was virtually no progress in the trade talks so far, other than exchanging views. The US highlighted a large deficit with Japan during prior meeting, much of it from auto exports. But there is no response from Japan so far.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will travel to Washington on April 26-27. Then the top Japanese officials will travel back to Japan on Tuesday for a series of rites related to the day’s abdication of Emperor Akihito.
