Trump said he may announce something on a U.S.-Japan trade agreement in August, hinting he will push for results well in advance of the six-month deadline he laid out earlier this month.
“Trade-wise, I think we will be announcing some things probably in August that will be very good for both countries,” Trump said. “We have to do a little catching up with Japan because they have been doing much more business with us. We would like to do a little more business in the reverse.”
Via Twitter, Trump said that "agriculture and beef heavily in play" in the talks. However, he noted, "Much will wait until after their July elections where I anticipate big numbers!"
Japan is currently expected to hold elections for the upper house in July and many have signaled the government will take the opportunity to dissolve the lower house at the same time. Given that, expectations are it will be difficult for Abe to concede anything, particularly on agriculture, ahead of the vote.
Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura later told reporters there had been "absolutely no" agreement on getting the trade deal done by August.
Japan Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held nearly three hours of talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer Saturday. "We agreed to work to get a deal done quickly," Motegi said.