Trump Urged To Start Trade Talks With Japan

Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state visit here, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council urged President Trump to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan.

In a joint letter transmitted today to the White House, NCBA and NPPC asked the president “to initiate free trade agreement negotiations with nations in the Asia-Pacific region beginning with Japan. … As you continue to lead America forward, we want to be a resource for your administration for possible strategies in improving existing and future trade agreements for the benefit of our producers.”

Abe will be in Washington Friday to meet with Trump on a number of matters, including security challenges and bilateral trade.

“A successful, comprehensive agreement with Japan would result in one of the greatest trade agreements for the U.S. pork and beef industries and for many other sectors,” said NCBA President Craig Uden, a cattle rancher from Elwood, Neb.

Said NPPC President John Weber, a pork producer from Dysart, Iowa, “Securing strong market access to Japan and other Asian markets is a priority for the U.S. beef and pork industries, and we appreciate the president’s leadership and dedication to making our products the most competitive around the world.”

For U.S. beef and pork exports, Japan is the highest value international market. In fiscal 2016, Japanese consumers purchased $1.4 billion of U.S. beef products and $1.5 billion of U.S. pork products. Demand in the Asian nation for U.S. beef and pork is very strong despite Japanese tariffs and other import measures that limit market access for both products.