Trump's steel tariff hike not raised in Japan-U.S. talks: negotiator
KYODO NEWS - 10 hours ago - 21:02 | All, Japan
Japan's chief tariff negotiator said Sunday that his U.S. counterpart had not touched on President Donald Trump's decision to double tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent during their talks in Washington late last week.
Trump's announcement came on social media on Friday, the same day that Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's minister in charge of economic policy, met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other officials for the fourth round of bilateral tariff negotiations.
After returning to Tokyo, Akazawa, a close aide to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, told reporters at Haneda airport that the Japanese government would "closely watch the specific details of the measures that will be revealed in the future" by the United States.
Later Sunday, Akazawa met with Ishiba at the prime minister's official residence to report the outcome of the latest talks. He said he was instructed to "continue negotiating to the utmost of your ability and with the highest priority of reaching an agreement."
Trump on social media cited national security behind his decision to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the current 25 percent, and said the new rate charged to most nations would go into effect on Wednesday.
Regarding the plan by Nippon Steel Corp. to acquire United States Steel Corp., Akazawa said, "We are looking forward to a very optimistic announcement" from the Trump administration.
Japan and the United States are making arrangements to hold a meeting between Ishiba and Trump on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada in mid-June after a fifth round of tariff talks, Akazawa said.
Under Trump's so-called reciprocal tariff regime, announced April 2, Japan faces a country-specific tariff of 14 percent for a total rate of 24 percent.
Along with others, Japan has also been hit by the Trump administration's additional 25 percent tariff on automobiles and other sector-based levies implemented on national security grounds, on top of the baseline duty of 10 percent that is part of its reciprocal scheme.
Related coverage:
Trump lauds Nippon Steel as "great partner" for U.S. Steel
Japan, U.S. agree tariff talks making progress toward deal
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