Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a plenary session of the upper house of parliament in Tokyo. (TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images)
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a plenary session of the upper house of parliament in Tokyo. (TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images) 
Insta

Abe Open To Talking Bilateral Trade With Trump After US Quits TPP

BySwarajya Staff

Following the withdrawal of the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership accord, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated that he’s open to a bilateral trade deal with the US, reported Bloomberg.

Abe informed on 26 January that one-on-one talks with the US on a trade deal are “not absolutely impossible.” He is set to have a phone conversation with newly elected President Donald Trump in the coming days before meeting him in Washington on 10 February.

Abe is in search of ways to increase economic contact with the US, similar to Trump who made clear his preference to negotiate bilateral trade deals. When asked in Parliament about the potential fate of Japan’s sensitive agricultural sector in any bilateral talks, Abe vowed to “protect what must be protected.”

The prime minister also stated his plan to discuss the East China Sea and South China Sea issues with the US president. As of now, Japan trusts the US to protect it against regional threats including North Korea and China.