The new U.S.-Japan trade deal lowers tariffs and strengthens economic ties, helping challenge China's regional aggression and instability.

View PDF After more than three months of formal negotiations and many more months of speculation about the Trump administration’s trade and economic policy toward Japan, Washington and Tokyo have agreed to a trade deal.

The 15% tax is a meaningful drop from the 25% rate that Trump, in a recent letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said would be levied starting Aug. 1.