Prime Minister of Japan Holds Talks with President Trump on Tariffs
TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, announced on Friday that he had a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders agreed to engage in “productive” discussions regarding upcoming tariff negotiations.
Ishiba emphasized his belief that the focus should be on investment rather than tariffs. He reiterated Japan’s stance of urging the U.S. to eliminate recent tariff measures. In return, he intends to promote Japanese investments that could create jobs in the United States.
These talks came just after Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister, Ryosei Akazawa, traveled to Washington for a third round of tariff negotiations with American officials. Unfortunately, earlier discussions did not lead to any agreement with the U.S. on Japan’s requests.
During the conversation, Ishiba reminded Trump of Japan’s request to remove all recently imposed tariffs on Japanese imports, though the U.S. president did not provide a specific answer.
“I expressed my hopes for a constructive dialogue, and we both agreed,” Ishiba shared with the press.
As of now, the U.S. has placed a 25% tariff on imports of automobiles, a crucial aspect of Japan’s trade relationship with America, which greatly influences its economic growth. While Trump has eased some tariffs, higher tariffs on steel and aluminum still remain.
Ishiba mentioned that the conversation lasted around 45 minutes and covered various topics, including security cooperation between the two nations and President Trump’s recent trip to the Middle East. Both leaders also agreed to meet again during the Group of Seven summit in Canada next month to continue their discussions.
