TOKYO: The EU and Japan pledged on Wednesday (Jul 23) to work together on championing a "free and fair" trade global system, as US tariffs and disputes with China rattle their economies. Brussels and Tokyo announced a "competitiveness alliance" to increase bilateral trade, address unfair practices, and boost innovation, at a summit in the Japanese capital. "In today's world, competitiveness has to be built with trusted partners such as Japan," European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen told