U.S. and Japanese officials agreed yesterday to launch talks aimed at settling disputes over American tariffs on imports of Japanese steel and aluminum.

The agreement came in a meeting between visiting U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Japan’s industry minister, Koichi Hagiuda, Japanese officials said.

Japan hopes to convince Washington to lift tariffs imposed during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. The United States recently resolved a similar dispute with the European Union.

Trump ordered the tariffs, 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, in March 2018, asserting they would protect U.S. jobs and national security.

Hagiuda made it clear in the meeting that Japan wants the tariff issue “completely” resolved, in line with the World Trade Organization, ministry officials said after the talks. Japan considers U.S. tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum imported from Japan as “problematic,” they said. (SD-Agencies)