US-Japan Trade Agreements Mark "First Stage" of Tariff Cuts and Commitments on Digital Trade

On September 25, 2019, President Donald Trump and the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, agreed in principle on a limited bilateral trade deal between their respective countries, which was memorialized by the signing of two separate trade agreements on October 7, 2019, namely the US-Japan Trade Agreement and the US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement. These trade agreements mark what the White House is calling the "first stage" of the US-Japan agreement on tariff cuts and commitments on digital trade amounting to roughly $55 billion and are expected to take effect on January 1, 2020, with negotiations on a more comprehensive trade deal to follow thereafter. This Legal Update discusses both agreements, along with their entry into force.