WASHINGTON-The United States and Japan have reached an agreement over the procurement of telecommunications equipment by Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky announced last week.
The United States and Japan were at a standoff over renewal of the 1980 NTT procurement agreement, which governs fair telecom procurement practice by the Japanese government. The NTT pact between the United States and Japan ended on July 1.
Barshefsky said the new two-year agreement meets all of the U.S. negotiating goals, including coverage of the NTT successor companies, continued government oversight, data collection to monitor progress and adherence to open procurement procedures by the NTT successor companies.
“Regular review by the governments provides us with a mechanism to ensure that opportunities for foreign suppliers to sell to NTT are maintained and enhanced after its restructuring,” said Barshefsky.
