米牛肉、２４万トン上限に低関税＝ＴＰＰ分は縮小協議へ－日米貿易協定

　日本政府が来週の署名を目指す日米貿易協定交渉で米国産牛肉の緊急輸入制限（セーフガード）の発動基準を当初年約２４万トンに設定する方針であることが２０日、分かった。この範囲内で関税を引き下げ、事実上の低関税輸入枠とする。基準を超えた分の関税は現行と同じ３８．５％にして輸入急増を防ぎ、国内畜産業界への打撃の軽減を図る。
　日本はオーストラリアなど環太平洋連携協定（ＴＰＰ）参加国からの牛肉向けのセーフガードを設定。２０１９年度で約６０万トンまでの牛肉を低関税の対象としている。米国分が加わると事実上の低関税枠が広がる。このため、政府は日米貿易協定の署名後、早期にＴＰＰ参加国に基準量の縮小協議を求め、３年程度で成果を得たい考えだ。（2019/09/20-18:55）

The Japanese government plans to set the level of U.S. beef imports triggering its safeguard measures at roughly 240,000 tons per year initially under a new Japan-U.S. trade agreement that the two governments hope to sign next week, it was learned Friday.
   The tariff rate for U.S. beef imports below the safeguard threshold will be set at about 26 pct once the trade deal goes into effect, and be lowered in stages until it comes down to 9 pct in fiscal 2033, sources familiar with the matter said. The volume of imports triggering safeguard measures will be gradually expanded to 290,000 tons a year.
   Imports exceeding the threshold will be subject to tariffs of 38.5 pct, the same as the current level, to protect the domestic livestock industry, according to the sources. Japan's U.S. beef imports in fiscal 2018 stood at about 250,000 tons.
   Under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which took effect late last year, Japan sets safeguard measures for beef while introducing lower tariffs for a certain amount of imports from member countries, including Australia. For fiscal 2019, which ends next March, up to 600,000 tons of imports are eligible for the lower tariffs.
   The planned trade agreement with the United States will expand overall lower-tariff imports.