Ishiba and Trump talk tariffs in second phone call this month
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba exchanged views with U.S. President Donald Trump on tariffs, foreign affairs and security during a phone call Thursday night.
This was their second call this month, following the one from last Friday .
Ishiba described his 25-minute call with Trump as 'a very meaningful conversation' in which further cooperation between the two countries across a wide range of fields was discussed.
'It was a very meaningful conversation — we had a candid exchange of views in a friendly atmosphere, without much time having passed since our previous interaction last week, which allowed us to further deepen our mutual understanding,' Ishiba told reporters after the call.
Ishiba confirmed that he initiated Thursday night's conversation, unlike last Friday's.
Japan remains opposed to the U.S.' tariff measures against it, Ishiba said Thursday night, adding that the two leaders agreed to have their negotiators continue to engage in more detailed discussions.
High-level exchanges have intensified between the two sides since last week, with Japan's chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa traveling to Washington twice in a week to hold separate meetings with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
16 minutes ago
- Nikkei Asia
HSBC Chair Mark Tucker to return to insurer AIA after bank overhaul
(Reuters) -- HSBC Holdings' high-profile Chairman Mark Tucker will return to the insurance sector as chair of Hong Kong-based AIA Group, after having presided over top management changes and navigated Sino-U.S. tensions at the Asia-focused lender. Tucker will depart HSBC by September 30 and will step into the role of AIA chairman on October 1, the two companies said in separate statements on Friday. Tucker served as AIA chief executive and president between 2010 and 2017.
NHK
30 minutes ago
- NHK
About 90 universities in Japan open to accepting intl. students in US
Japan's education minister says about 90 universities in the country are considering accepting or supporting international students who may no longer be able to study in the United States. The Japanese education ministry had asked the nation's universities to consider support measures for such students with either Japanese or non-Japanese citizenship. The move came after the US administration under President Donald Trump announced it is barring Harvard University from enrolling international students. Education Minister Abe Toshiko said on Friday that by Thursday, her ministry had received positive responses from about 90 universities. Some of them are reportedly considering offering accommodation to students. Abe said the ministry is working to upload the responses to the request on the website of the Japan Student Services Organization, which is an independent administrative agency.
NHK
30 minutes ago
- NHK
Japan household spendng down as consumers skip big-ticket items
Household spending in Japan fell slightly in April as consumers refrained from buying big-ticket items like home appliances. An internal affairs ministry survey shows households of two or more people spent an average of about 325,717 yen, or over 2,200 dollars. That was down 0.1 percent from a year earlier in yen terms when adjusted for inflation. It was the first drop in two months. Spending on furniture and household goods declined 0.4 percent. Appliances such as air conditioners, washing machines and microwaves saw lower demand as consumers stayed budget conscious. Purchases of clothes and footwear dropped 2.1 percent. Unseasonably cold weather was said to dampen sales. Food expenditures rose 0.3 percent. That was the first increase in eight months. People bought more fresh vegetables including lettuce and tomatoes as their prices began to fall. Rice purchases also rose despite surging prices.
