Aso says that Japan's stance is to avoid bilateral trade negotiations with the US

Comments by Japanese finance minister Taro Aso

• If Japanese steel is more expensive, it will harm US importers
• Says that they will continue to firmly avoid bilateral trade negotiations with the US

Japan was the notable name missing when the US announced its tariff exemption list last week. And Aso's comments here pretty much rules out the unlikely theory that they are actually trying to work on something in the background with the US.