CHINA/JAPAN/TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said on Monday [9-16-19] that his administration had reached an initial trade agreement with Japan and would announce a deal in the coming weeks. The trade pact, while limited, is expected to increase access for American agricultural products like beef and chicken to the Japanese market. That would provide some relief to farmers who have been hurt by Mr. Trump’s trade war with China. Exact details of the deal have not been released. But people briefed on the negotiations said the pact would lower Japanese tariffs on beef and other American farm products in return for cutting American tariffs on industrial goods like machinery. Unlike most trade deals, the pact is expected to be limited to a few industries. It is not clear how much protection the deal would offer Japan against Mr. Trump’s threats to place tariffs on its cars, a penalty Japan is eager to avoid.”
–Ana Swanson and Ben Dooley, “Trump Says U.S. and Japan Have Reached Initial Trade Agreement,” The New York Times online, September 16, 2019