Japan Ratifies US Trade Deal in Record Time

Japan’s Diet has pushed through a US trade deal in record time, showing how Tokyo hopes to dodge any trade war by co-operating with US President Donald Trump’s demands.

The upper house completed ratification of the deal — which will slash Japanese tariffs on US beef — 10 weeks after it was first agreed and less than nine months since the start of negotiations. With no ratification needed in the US, the deal is set to come into effect on January 1.