Top US, Japan officials agree to advance trade talks in Washington meeting

Top U.S. and Japanese officials agreed to immediately start working-level consultations to build upon trade-related discussions held in a meeting in Washington, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday. The meeting, which took place on Thursday, included U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa.

"During their frank and constructive discussions on fair and reciprocal trade, Secretary Bessent highlighted to Minister Akazawa both tariffs and non-tariff measures, the importance of economic security as national security, and other issues of concern," the Treasury Department said in a statement.