Japan's top tariff negotiator is arranging a visit to the United States later this week for a sixth round of ministerial-level talks aimed at securing concessions over a series of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, a government source said Monday.
The fourth trip in as many weeks by Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, would come ahead of an envisioned meeting between the leaders of Japan and the United States at the time of the three-day Group of Seven summit in Canada from June 15.
Akazawa is expected to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick again, after holding talks with them last week in Washington, the source said.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government is urging the Trump administration to remove the additional tariffs, saying they are having a serious impact on Japan's export-oriented economy, which has been languishing as an important national election looms this summer.
Following the fifth round of talks with U.S. officials, Akazawa told reporters that discussions on tariff issues between Japan and the United States are progressing, but the two sides have "yet to find common ground."
After returning to Tokyo on Sunday, Akazawa pledged to continue "intensive" deliberations on trade expansion, non-tariff barriers and bilateral cooperation on economic security, with Trump expected to continue pursuing protectionist policies.
Akazawa, who met with Ishiba on the day of his return to report the outcome of his visit, said the Japanese and U.S. leaders may talk directly once the ministerial-level negotiations reach a point where an agreement is in sight.
Under Trump's so-called reciprocal tariff regime, announced on April 2, nearly every nation in the world has been hit with a baseline duty of 10 percent, with Japan facing an additional country-specific tariff of 14 percent for a total rate of 24 percent.
Japan has also been affected by Trump's extra 25 percent tariff on automobiles, along with other sector-specific levies imposed on national security grounds. Tokyo presented a package of proposals to Washington over the period since the first ministerial meeting in mid-April.
The package includes joint supply chain efforts on semiconductors and critical minerals, cooperation in shipbuilding, greater U.S. farm imports and streamlined safety rules for foreign-made cars, sources close to the matter said.
© KYODO
15 Comments
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Tokyo Guy
Got to admire his perseverance, if not his actual understanding of how Trump operates (i.e. based entirely on caprice and on the sole assumption of "how can I screw over the other party and get as much from them as possible?")
vanityofvanities
Poor Akazawasan. Japan will eventually will accept the tariff increase if it is 10%. They are buying time. They will announce the bad news after the upper house election in July.
Sanjinosebleed
So he can give the Donald whatever he wants!?
Time for Japan to use it’s US treasury holdings as a weapon and start playing The Donald’s game of brinkmanship!
WhatsAllThisThen
How about making it a ZOOM call?
factchecker
Clocking up those airmiles at the taxpayers expense.
Rez
Should be charging Trump for those miles.
Silvafan
It is no different than Trump visiting the Dear Leader in North Korea during his last term. It was all for show! Also, the Japanese politician just wants a free vacation and get way from Japan for a while without the criticism of traveling for pleasure while Japan has problems.
HopeSpringsEternal
Japan's not bringing much to the trade 'table' Let's see...
Large existing structural trade surplus, rapidly shrinking and aging domestic market, no critical truly world class cutting-edge companies in tech. or elsewhere and a massive auto industry exposure, now experiencing record disruption due to EVs and soon Autonomy, meaning cars will last far longer, require far fewer parts and far more people will not want or need to own etc.
Merits? Not much other than $willingness of Japan Inc. to invest abroad, which isn't saying much given above Japanese domestic market economic collapse underway
Wasabi
give trump a great gift, something with gold and he will sign the best, the beautiful and better deal you can think of....
masterblaster
He won't be able to change anything. Japan doesn't have leverage in this conversation.
HopeSpringsEternal
One wonders how many other issues entering into the trade negotiation, say related to China, Defense, etc. Expect it's all being discussed as Japan at just 1.8% of GDP for defense, while NATO Members heading to 5%
Wasabi
Yes, like Ukraine does not have the card.... right!!!!
Japan holds $1.1 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds. It's got more U.S. paper than any other country.
Tokyo Guy
Japan holds $1.1 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds. It's got more U.S. paper than any other country.
True, but those bonds are worthless unless Japan has the balls to make use of them in these negotiations.
Tim Sullivan
The US is a kleptocracy now. Akazawa will be out of his depth in the Washington shark tank. Would have been a better idea to send a billionaire. Trump respects people who have made it.
Tim Sullivan
I read in the New Yorker that the price tag for a one-on-one conversation with Trump is $5 million. Wow.