US Agriculture Sec Perdue urges Japan to reach trade deal with US

In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue called on Japan to quickly strike a trade deal with Washington on farm products and other goods.

Key Quotes:

“President (Donald) Trump is really looking forward to a deal sooner rather than later.”

Asked about a possibility of a trade deal when Trump meets Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan later this month, “he would welcome an agreement,” Perdue added. 

“We cannot continue to kick this trade can down the road forever.”

“We are very much aware of the elections of the upper body (of Japan’s parliament) coming up in July. We are respectful of that, but President Trump is expecting again Japan would treat us as their premier customer as we are.”

US farmers “were disappointed when the China talks fell apart,” Perdue added.