Bloomberg -- In a June 10th address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler said the U.S. and Japan are making “some progress” in bilateral negotiations on difficult trade issues regarding automobiles. These discussions are going alongside the general Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks. The American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC), which represents Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. on trade policy issues, supports the technical work that is being conducted by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, though they contend that currency concerns are more important. AAPC President Matt Blunt, the former governor of Missouri, told Bloomberg, “It's critical that a high-aspiration agreement like the Trans-Pacific Partnership address currency with a meaningful, rules-based approach. The fact that it has not been raised by negotiators thus far is very discouraging for us and others in Congress who believe that currency has to be included if it is going to be a meaningful agreement.”
To start learning more about the TPP generally, check out the USTR's page or the wikipedia page.
Ancient Roman Stoics would practice turning obstacles upside down. Marcus Aurelius, the last of the 5 Good Emperors, once wrote, "Our actions may be impeded, but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
In that spirit, here is a full list of trade barriers (i.e. opportunities) with Japan being on page 205: