Japan's Ishiba meets with Trump to discuss tariffs
KANANASKIS, Canada -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit here, urging his counterpart to rethink tariffs on Japan and emphasizing a mutually beneficial relationship.
This is Ishiba's second in-person meeting with Trump, following their first in Washington during February. The talks lasted about 30 minutes.
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Yomiuri Shimbun
25 minutes ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
US and UK Announce a Trade Deal, but Steel Imports Are Still Being Negotiated
The Associated Press President Donald Trump drops papers as he meets with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. KANANASKIS, Alberta (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that they had signed a trade deal that will slash tariffs on U.K. auto and aerospace industry imports — but they are still discussing how to handle steel production. The pair spoke to reporters at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, with Trump brandishing the pages of what he said was a long-awaited agreement. The rollout was anything but smooth, however, as Trump dropped the papers and at first said his administration had reached an agreement with the European Union when he meant the United Kingdom. The president nonetheless insisted the pact is 'a fair deal for both' and would 'produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income.' 'We just signed it,' Trump said, 'and it's done.' Starmer said it meant 'a very good day for both our countries, a real sign of strength.' Reaching an agreement is significant as Trump has threatened much of the world with steep import tariffs that have unsettled markets and raised the possibility of a global trade war. He has since backed off on many of his proposed levies but also continued to suggest that administration officials were furiously negotiating new trade pacts with dozens of countries — even as few have actually materialized. Trump said 'the U.K. is very well protected,' from tariffs. 'You know why? Because I like them.' The signing of the deal at the G7 followed Trump and Starmer's announcement in May that they'd reached a framework for a trade pact that would slash U.S. import taxes on British cars, steel and aluminum in return for greater access to the British market for U.S. products, including beef and ethanol. But Monday's agreement fully covers only British cars and aerospace materials, with more work to come on steel. The British government said the new agreement removes U.S. tariffs on U.K. aerospace products, exempting Britain from a 10% levy the Trump White House has sought to impose on all other countries — a boost to British firms, including engine-maker Rolls-Royce. It also sets the tax on British autos at 10% from the end of the month, down from the current 27.5%, up to a quota of 100,000 vehicles a year. U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the deal protects 'jobs and livelihoods in some of our most vital sectors.' Mike Hawes, chief executive of Britain's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said it was 'great news for the U.K. automotive industry.' But there was no final agreement to cut the tax on British steel to zero as originally foreseen — seen as vital to preserving the U.K.'s beleaguered steel industry. Britain's steel output has fallen 80% since the late 1960s due to high costs and the rapid growth of cheaper Chinese production. Monday's agreement fleshes out the terms of the framework deal announced in May. That framework didn't immediately take effect, leaving British businesses uncertain about whether the U.K. could be exposed to any surprise hikes from Trump. British businesses, and the U.K. government, were then blindsided earlier this month when Trump doubled metals tariffs on countries around the world to 50%. He later clarified the level would remain at 25% for the U.K. After the two leaders spoke, the White House released a statement seeking to clarify matters, saying that with respect to steel and aluminum, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will 'determine a quota of products that can enter the United States without being subject' to previous tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. The British government said Monday that the plan was still for '0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed.' Trump's executive order authorizing the deal contained several references to security of supply chains, reflecting the U.S. administration's concerns about China. It said the U.K. 'committed to working to meet American requirements on the security of the supply chains of steel and aluminum products intended for export to the United States.' There also was no final deal on pharmaceuticals, where 'work will continue,' the U.K. said. The deal signed Monday also confirms that American farmers can export 13,000 metric tons (29 million pounds) of beef to the U.K. each year, and vice versa — though a British ban on hormone-treated beef remains in place.
Kyodo News
29 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 17, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 10:38 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan, U.S. still far from tariff deal after Ishiba-Trump summit BANFF, Canada - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump made little headway in bridging gaps over tariffs at their summit on Monday, casting doubt on the prospect of a quick yet "mutually beneficial" package deal that can protect Japan's all-important auto sector. After sitting down with Trump for 30 minutes in Canada's Rockies, Ishiba said any potential deal should serve the interests of both Japan and the United States, and that bilateral ministerial talks will continue to seek such an agreement. ---------- G7 leaders discuss global trade amid Trump tariff tensions CALGARY, Canada - The leaders of the Group of Seven democracies discussed global trade Monday as they kicked off two days of talks in Canada, while trying to hide divisions stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war and unilateralism. Trump's transactional approach to diplomacy and his confrontational trade actions, also targeted at G7 countries, have tested the 50-year-old group's ability to coordinate global economic policy and address threats to international peace and security. ---------- Japan calls for "utmost restraint" from Iran in conflict with Israel TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Monday told his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi that all parties must exercise "utmost restraint" amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. During their phone talks, Iwaya said any action that could further escalate the situation should be refrained from, adding he is "deeply concerned about the current exchange of attacks spreading throughout the Middle East region," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. ---------- 200 kg of cherries worth 1 mil. yen stolen in northeastern Japan YAMAGATA, Japan - Around 200 kilograms of premium cherries worth around 1 million yen ($7,000) have been stolen from an orchard in northeastern Japan, police said Monday. Of the 67 cherry trees at the orchard in Kaminoyama, Yamagata Prefecture, only the popular Sato Nishiki variety trees, which number around 50, had been stripped of their fruit, according to prefectural police. ---------- S. Korean leader Lee expresses desire for stable ties with Japan SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his desire for stable development of relations between South Korea and Japan as the Japanese Embassy in Seoul held an event to mark 60 years since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations. Lee, who departed for Canada on the day as a guest at a Group of Seven nations summit, sent a congratulatory message for the event and said, "I wish for the stable and future-oriented development of South Korea-Japan relations." ---------- Renault CEO to step down in July, ties with Nissan in focus PARIS - Renault CEO Luca de Meo will step down effective July 15 to pursue work outside the auto sector, the French carmaker said Sunday, shifting attention to the company's ties with struggling Nissan Motor Co. and the moves his successor may make. After becoming Renault's chief executive in July 2020, de Meo worked to improve relations that had become strained following the arrest of Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, who had led the partnership between the automakers. ---------- Former Michelin-star restaurant owner arrested after food poisonings OSAKA - Members of a family who run a formerly Michelin-starred restaurant in western Japan were arrested Monday for ignoring an order to temporarily shut it down after a spate of food poisoning cases, investigative sources said. Hirokazu Kitano, 69, his son Hirotoshi, 41, and wife Noriko 68, have all been involved in operating traditional Japanese-style restaurant Kiichi in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture, and are alleged to have violated the Food Sanitation Act. Video: Kansai University professor estimates Pandas at Adventure World has earned some 120 billion yen in sales since 1994
Kyodo News
37 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
Japan, U.S. still far from tariff deal after Ishiba-Trump summit
KYODO NEWS - 2 minutes ago - 10:34 | All, World, Japan Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump made little headway in bridging gaps over tariffs at their summit on Monday, casting doubt on the prospect of a quick yet "mutually beneficial" package deal that can protect Japan's all-important auto sector. After sitting down with Trump for 30 minutes in Canada's Rockies, Ishiba said any potential deal should serve the interests of both Japan and the United States, and that bilateral ministerial talks will continue to seek such an agreement. The meeting, held on the fringes of the Group of Seven leaders' summit in Kananaskis, gave a glimpse into the difficulty faced by the longtime allies in meeting halfway as Trump's imposition of tariffs on everything from cars and auto parts to steel and aluminum has raised concerns about the export-driven Japanese economy. While the United States has given Japan and other countries a 90-day reprieve from what it calls "reciprocal" tariffs, Ishiba did not say whether he and Trump discussed the possibility of an extension, after Washington hinted that the pause can be extended for trading partners engaged in negotiations in "good faith." "We have yet to reach a deal as a package because we remain apart over certain aspects," Ishiba told reporters after what he described as "candid" discussions with Trump. Among the hiked import duties, a 25 percent tariff on autos is seen as a sticking point. The auto sector forms the backbone of the Japanese economy and the United States is a critical market for the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. Those Japanese automakers, however, have been ramping up investment and production in the United States over the years, a point that the Japanese side has been seeking to get across to Trump. Through rounds of ministerial negotiations, Japan has been urging the United States to rethink the tariff policy, implemented to rectify what Trump sees as imbalanced trade. Trump told reporters after his second face-to-face summit with Ishiba that it went "well," without elaborating. Trump, whose use of tariffs symbolizes his "America First" agenda, had indicated there could be a "few new trade deals" in the offing. But he did not say whether they could include one with Japan. In a show of the importance both leaders attach to bilateral relations, Ishiba and Trump spoke by phone four times since their first meeting as tariff negotiations led by their ministers continued. Trump, who is known for his unpredictability, effectively approved the takeover of United States Steel Corp. by Nippon Steel Corp. in a dramatic turn of events just days before the leaders were to meet at the two-day G7 gathering in Kananaskis. Related coverage: Japan negotiator mum on if Japan, U.S. can strike tariff deal at G7 Bessent says 90-day tariff pause could be extended for key partners U.S., China agree on framework to implement Geneva trade accord
