Fifth round of meetings under the U.S.-Japan partnership on trade

The United States and Japan held the fifth round of meetings under the United States-Japan Partnership on Trade on July 29-30, 2024. The U.S. delegation was led by Scott Wilbur, Director for Japan Affairs.

The Partnership on Trade was launched in November 2021 during United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s visit to Tokyo. It aims to strengthen the United States-Japan trade relationship by advancing bilateral collaboration on trade-related topics and issues of common interest, as well as securing regular, ongoing engagement to address bilateral trade issues.

On areas of collaboration, the United States and Japan discussed and advanced specific initiatives and efforts, including:

• Digital Economy: Continued coordination to respond to several third-party regulations that present concerns. Shared perspectives towards building a positive ecosystem for the digital economy and digital trade.

• U.S.-Japan Critical Minerals Agreement (CMA): Reviewed progress towards meeting commitments under the CMA.

• Third-Country Issues: Exchanged information on existing agreements with respect to third countries.

• Non-Market Policies and Practices: Shared the impact of and plans for addressing common challenges related to the non-market policies and practices of third countries, which have resulted in existing and rapidly emerging non-market excess capacity in several sectors and could increase vulnerability to economic coercion.

• Labor: Discussed updates and follow-up items on engagements under the Task Force on the Promotion of Human Rights and International Labor Standards in Supply Chains.

The United States and Japan also discussed bilateral trade issues including regulatory transparency and due process, ensuring a level playing field for certain products and services, trade in seafood, and areas for cooperation to increase the globally available supply of sustainable aviation fuels and feedstocks, including those that are ethanol-based.

The United States and Japan will engage in follow-up intersessional activities and look forward to the next round of Partnership meetings to advance these and other shared priorities.