U.S., Japan trade chiefs spar over bilateral issues
U.S., Japan trade chiefs spar over bilateral issues
MANILA (Reuter): Acting U.S. Trade Representative Charlene
Barshefsky traded jabs yesterday with Japan's new trade minister
Shinji Sato over nagging bilateral issues.
Barshefsky and Sato met for two hours over lunch ahead of the
ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) forum due to start on Friday.
Sato, son of 1960s prime minister Eisaku Sato, became Japan's
Minister for International Trade and Industry (MITI) two weeks
ago.
Barshefsky asked Sato to act on four trade issues -- film,
insurance, semiconductors and cars. MITI officials who took part
in the talks said the meeting was not a negotiation of any sort.
Barshefsky reminded Sato the two countries must look for a
comprehensive solution in bilateral talks to open Japan's
insurance market. They have set a December 15 deadline on the
issue.
Sato said he would relay Barshefsky's request to Finance
Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, who is in charge of the talks.
On the film issue, Barshefsky said it was important for the
two countries to name quickly members to a World Trade
Organization (WTO) panel which is to oversee the dispute over
U.S. charges that Japan's photographic film market was unfairly
closed to U.S. products. Sato agreed about the panel members, the
MITI officials said.
Barshefsky also said Japan should respect a 1960 GATT (General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) rule to allow bilateral
government negotiations on a specific trade issue -- for example,
over the film dispute. Japan has continuously rejected government
talks on film, saying it was a matter between rival firms.
Sato said the film markets of Japan and the United States were
similar and what both markets must first be studied, the Japanese
officials said.
On semiconductors, Barshefsky said the Japanese semiconductor
industry must adopt an anti-dumping mechanism and that her office
was still waiting for deregulation of the car market, especially
over car dealerships.
The two trade chiefs agreed on the importance of APEC
endorsing the U.S.-led drive at the WTO to liberalize trade on
computers and other information technology products. Sato said
Japan would call for an eventual zero-tariff on such products.
On China's entry into the WTO, Barshefsky said any such move
must be based on a commercially sound basis, but she did not
elaborate, MITI officials said.
Sato said Japan and the United States agreed on the importance
of China becoming a WTO member and Japan would make efforts to
improve overall ties with China