Bessent, Lutnick and Greer keep Japan guessing in US tariff talks
TOKYO -- The presence of three top U.S. negotiators with differing stances on trade is adding a layer of complexity to tariff talks with Japan.
Open disagreements, competition and confusion among Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer have made it hard for the Japanese side to judge the Trump administration 's intentions, according to sources close to the negotiations.

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The Mainichi
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- The Mainichi
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Kyodo News
30 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
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42 minutes ago
Japan, U.S. Yet to Find Common Ground in Tariff Talks
News from Japan Society Jun 7, 2025 10:56 (JST) Washington, June 6 (Jiji Press)--Japan and the United States have yet to find common ground in their talks on Washington's high tariff policy, Japan's top negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said Friday. "We have made further progress toward an agreement" through intensive ministerial talks, Akazawa, minister for economic revitalization, told reporters after meeting separately with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington earlier in the day. Still, he added, "We have not found common ground" at this point. The meetings marked the fifth round of minister-level Japan-U.S. negotiations on a possible review of sweeping tariffs of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Akazawa and Lutnick also met on Thursday. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press