Japan bats away US complaint on autos

Japan rejected US demands for more access to Japan's car market on Friday, casting doubt over whether it can avoid friction over autos and agriculture imports at high level bilateral talks on economic relations next month. The joint economic dialogue, to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and US Vice President Mike Pence, could re-write ties between the world's largest and third-largest economies. "We do not impose import tariffs on cars, and we do not impose any non-tariff barriers," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.