National Cattlemen Beef Association officials are expressing optimism about a possible trade deal between the U.S. and Japan following President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Japan. NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall says he thinks real progress was made following Trump’s meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister.
He says they didn’t expect a trade deal to be finalized before Japan’s elections coming up in July.
Woodall says the U.S. Korean agreement took six years before it was finalized and he says the Japan deal will likely go much quicker. He bases that on having a text for a trade pact already in place to work from with the Japanese.
Woodall says of all the trade deals under discussion, his group is most optimistic about how the discussions are going with Japan than with any of the others being looked at.
