The US and Japan have agreed to more discussions over US tariffs during ministerial talks in Washington with another round of talks scheduled later this month Japan’s chief negotiator said on Thursday. Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei who headed his country’s delegation held a first round of trade negotiations with his US counterparts in Washington DC on Wednesday (local time). Talking to reporters later, Akazawa said that the president indicated that talks with Japan on the levies should take top priority. US President Donald Trump, who joined the negotiators in a session at the White House, described the meeting as “big progress”.

Meloni meets Trump

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni will test her mettle as a bridge between the EU and the US when she meets with President Trump in the White House on Thursday, the first European leader to have a face-to-face with Trump since he announced, and then suspended, 20 per cent tariffs on European exports. Meloni has, in a sense, been “knighted” to represent the European Union. She has been in close contact with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the trip.