Japan¡¯s chief tariff negotiator flew to Washington on Monday for an eighth round of trade talks, just a day after the ruling coalition suffered a dramatic defeat in an Upper House election and less than two weeks ahead of a key tariff deadline.
While the political landscape was upended by Sunday¡¯s vote, Ryosei Akazawa stuck to the script and offered no indication that anything has changed in terms of Japan¡¯s stance, or that the United States is willing to back down in its demands.
¡°While protecting our national interests, I want to quickly find common ground where both Japan and the United States can agree,¡± he told reporters at Haneda Airport on Monday morning before his departure.
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