Confusion Over Tariff Stacking Hampers US-Japan Trade Deal

A fresh discrepancy in interpretations of the US-Japan trade deal came to the fore on Aug. 7, as Tokyo's chief negotiator visits Washington to press for follow-through on a pledge to cut a duty on car imports to 15 percent.

- BLOOMBERG

TOKYO — A fresh discrepancy in interpretations of the US-Japan trade deal came to the fore on Aug. 7, as Tokyo's chief negotiator visits Washington to press for follow-through on a pledge to cut a duty on car imports to 15 percent.

Japanese media reports said Washington would not exempt Tokyo from an order stacking new 15 percent across-the-board tariffs on top of existing duties, hours before they take effect.

Top Japanese trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa had earlier disputed such an understanding.

"There will be no stacking," Mr. Akazawa said on Aug. 5. "There's mutual understanding on this."