Japan defense equipment outlays may ease U.S. trade gap: tariff chief

Japan's chief tariff negotiator said Thursday that purchases of U.S. defense equipment may help reduce the trade deficit, suggesting it could be used as a bargaining chip in bilateral talks about the levies.Ryosei Akazawa, who met with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of a fourth round of tariff talks later this week in Washington, told reporters, "If you ask me whether (such purchases) are within the scope (of the talks), it is possible."But Akazawa, a close aide to Ishiba, also said tariff negotiations with the United States and security matters are "based on different logic and standa…READ FULL ARTICLE