Tokyo (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Isgaba has told US President Donald Trump that both countries have agreed to leave the issue of foreign exchange rates in the hands of finance ministers.
“Like this was during the first Trump administration, we have decided to continue our thorough discussions between experts, Japan and the US financial leaders,” Isba met with Trump on Friday. He later spoke at a press conference about the issue of currency charges.
During a video conference call last month, Japanese finance minister Katonobu Kato and US Treasury Secretary Scott Becent agreed to cooperate on issues including currency charges.
Some analysts have said before the summit that Trump could express his dissatisfaction with the weak yen as a factor that would drive the dollar and make U.S. exports less competitive overseas.
Japanese policymakers are sensitive to the risk that Trump will make explicit comments about the yen and cause market volatility that could undermine its vulnerable economic recovery.
(Reporting by Sugiyama Kentaro of Tokyo, Written by Kihara, Edited by Chris Reese)
