Report: Japan Plans Negotiations With USTR in April, May

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Japan's Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi are planning for meetings in April and May, with an aim of defining the scope of trade talks before President Donald Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late May, according to a report in Nikkei Asian Review. "Tokyo believes that by starting trade talks in the spring it can dodge [Section 232 auto] tariffs for the time being. But there are concerns that Trump could play the tariff card nonetheless if Japan's approach fails to satisfy," the article said. A USTR spokeswoman said it has no announcement on the next meeting between Lighthizer and Motegi.