Japanese media say Tokyo “is prepared to increase its import quota for U.S. rice by 50,000 tonnes a year, about a quarter of the U.S. goal, Reuters said at the end of bilateral talks between trade negotiators. Hiroshi Oe, Japan’s deputy chief trade negotiator, said unresolved issues between the nations on agriculture and auto trade would be taken up at a meeting later this month to try to wrap up the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
“In exchange for allowing Japan to retain rice tariffs, Washington is urging Tokyo to increase imports of U.S. rice by around 200,000 tonnes a year under an exceptional imports quota, but Japan has proposed 50,000 tonnes. Both nations also disagree over the 2.5 percent tariff levied on US imports of Japanese car parts,” said Todayonline, citing trade sources.
The Kyodo news agency said Japan wants the United States to increase its quota on imports of Japanese beef to 2,000 tonnes a year from the current 200 tonnes. The U.S. imposes a tariff of 4.4 cents per kilogram on the first 200 tonnes and a sharply higher tariff on imports above that level. As part of TPP, Japan would reduce its tariffs on U.S. beef, now 38.5 percent, to as low as 9 percent over a 15-year period.
“If Japan can expand its beef exports to the United States under the TPP, it could help alleviate the negative impact on farmers and allow them to gain more international recognition for wagyu beef,” said Kyodo. Wagyu beef is flavorful, highly marbled and expensive. Japan exported 1,251 tonnes of beef during 2014, with 153 tonnes going to U.S. buyers. The nation plans to expand total beef exports to 4,000 tonnes by 2020, said the news agency.