Japan Wary of Possible Low-Tariff Auto Quota in U.S. Trade Talks

   Tokyo, May 10 (Jiji Press)--Japanese government officials are alarmed by an agreement between Washington and London to set a low-tariff quota for British vehicle exports to the United States.
   Japan is evaluating the agreement as it has been asking the United States to remove its 25 pct auto levies as part of tariff relief talks between Tokyo and Washington.
   The United States agreed to lower its levies on imports of British vehicles to 10 pct from the current 27.5 pct for up to 100,000 units per year, roughly equivalent to Britain's total auto exports to the United States last year.
   "It's not appropriate to apply the case of Britain, which exports a smaller amount of vehicles, to Japan," a senior official at the Japanese industry ministry said. "We don't want to rush to make Britain a model," a senior official at a Japanese government economic agency said.
   The United States is an important market for the Japanese automobile industry, accounting for about 20 pct of its total car exports in terms of volume and about 30 pct in terms of value.

(2025/05/10-19:11)

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