Trump to Sign U.S.-Japan Trade Deal that Benefits Farmers

The deal would win back for American farmers benefits they lost when Trump pulled out of a broader Asia-Pacific pact his first week in office.

In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington. The nation's business economists think President Trump's trade war with China will contribute to a sharp slowdown in economic growth this year and next, raising concerns about a possible recession starting late next year.
In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington. The nation's business economists think President Trump's trade war with China will contribute to a sharp slowdown in economic growth this year and next, raising concerns about a possible recession starting late next year.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to sign a limited trade agreement Monday with Japan. The deal would win back for American farmers benefits they lost when Trump pulled out of a broader Asia-Pacific pact his first week in office.

U.S. farmers have been operating at a disadvantage in Japan since Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which had been negotiated by the Obama administration. The other 11 Pacific Rim countries, including big farm producers such as New Zealand and Canada, went ahead without the United States and were enjoying preferential treatment in Japan.

While delivering benefits to American farmers, the new U.S.-Japan mini-deal does not resolve differences over trade in autos. Trump has said the two countries continue to work on a more comprehensive agreement.

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