Japan and the US on Monday discussed such issues as international order in the Indo-Pacific and Japan-US cooperation in economic security that includes supply chain resilience, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. During his meeting with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Tokyo, Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Raimondo's choice of Japan as the first destination during her official visit to Asia signals the solid Japan-US alliance, according to a statement released from the ministry. In response, Raimondo told Hayashi that Japan is the most important partner for the US, adding starting her visit from Japan is a proof of the US commitment, the statement said. Raimondo also expressed US clear intention that it would like to take the initiative with Japan in advancing cooperation with the Indo-Pacific in the economic field, the ministry said. Meanwhile, Hayashi requested the lifting of additional import tariffs on steel and aluminum from Japan under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The secretary responded that Washington would prioritize its efforts to address the request. Japan and the United States on Monday agreed to launch negotiations to resolve a dispute over Washington's higher tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that were imposed by former US President Donald Trump's administration. Raimondo arrived in Tokyo on Sunday for a two-day visit on her first Asia trip since taking office in March. Meeting with Raimondo in Tokyo, Trade and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda called for the abolishment of the additional duties on those products from Japan, government officials said. The meeting, which lasted about one hour and 20 minutes, was organized after the United States ended a similar dispute last month with the European Union and is now allowing a certain quantity of European steel and aluminum to enter duty-free. Hagiuda and Raimondo also decided to set up a new partnership aimed at bolstering industrial competitiveness, supply chains for key parts, including semiconductors and those linked to 5G networks, and economic security, according to their joint statement. "Through today's discussions, I hope we can further expand the cooperative relations between the two countries," Hagiuda said at the meeting. Raimondo responded the "Department of Commerce's commitment to Japan is unwavering as it is our desire to strengthen our economic partnerships with like-minded countries." The department views China's steel overproduction as a problem for the US economy and needs to be addressed globally. The Japan-US Commercial and Industrial Partnership was established to maintain a free and fair economic order and address climate change and other shared global challenges, the statement said. Since 2018, the United States has been imposing extra duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports due to claims of potential national security risks under Trump's "America First" foreign and trade policy. The EU responded with a retaliatory measure but agreed on Oct. 30 to end the dispute. Japan, in contrast, has not taken a countermeasure but has repeatedly asked for the situation to be normalized. Raimondo will make a two-day visit to Singapore from Tuesday and travel to Malaysia on Thursday. The trip comes on the heels of US President Joe Biden's announcement that his administration will develop what he calls an "economic framework that will define our shared objectives with partners in the region." — Agencies
