Japan, WTO Vow to Strengthen Multilateral Trade System

   Tokyo, May 13 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government and the World Trade Organization on Tuesday reaffirmed their determination to work closely together to strengthen the WTO-led free and open multilateral trade regime.
   The policy was included in a joint statement issued after a meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
   In the meeting at the Foreign Ministry's Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, they discussed the fierce trade friction created by U.S. President Donald Trump's high tariff policy, and reform of the WTO for restoring its dispute settlement system functions.
   "In a time of uncertainty and disruption, the value of the multilateral trading system is unquestionable," the joint statement said.
   The statement said the Japanese government and the WTO "concurred that economic integration anchored in free and fair and rules-based trade has fueled economic growth and prosperity of WTO members and for the wider global economy."

(2025/05/13-21:50)