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Japan deals with price of playing to Trump: $713.8 billion
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Mr Ryosei Akazawa, then Japan’s minister in charge of tariff negotiations with the US, donned a “Make America Great Again” cap when he met US President Donald Trump at the White House on April 16.
PHOTO: REUTERS
River Akira Davis
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TOKYO – On July 22, Mr Ryosei Akazawa, then Japan’s minister in charge of tariff negotiations with the US, was sitting across from President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Mr Trump, deploying a familiar negotiating style, began crossing out numbers on a placemat-size visual aid.
After eight trips to Washington, Mr Akazawa had worked out the outline of a plan with Mr Trump’s trade officials. But in the final meeting, the President upped the ante. Mr Akazawa went along with the new demands.
