WSJ: Japan-US talks stalled over auto tariffs
The newspaper on Wednesday said top US officials told Japanese negotiators in late May that time was running out to reach an agreement.
It quotes sources as saying Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned that "additional punitive measures" might be taken against Japan.
The report said these could include a Trump administration demand that Japan cap its vehicle exports to the United States.
The Japanese side reportedly maintained its stance that there could not be any agreement that preserves the 25-percent tariff America has imposed on autos.
The pause in what President Donald Trump calls reciprocal tariffs is due to expire next Wednesday.
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender spoke about the deadline in a TV interview. He said he expects the Trump administration will announce "a number of" trade deals next week.
He added that he thinks there will be a "tariff-rate announcement" next week for US trading partners that have not advanced their negotiations.
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And if a nuclear leak had occurred, endangering Turkish civilians, who would have borne responsibility? Although Israel and Iran accepted Trump's announcement of a ceasefire, NATO members had been thrust into a dangerous situation without warning. This was particularly worrisome for Turkey, which shares a border with Iran and is highly vulnerable to the consequences of regional escalation. Trump's behavior has jeopardized NATO's collective security. After all, there is no guarantee that Israel will not violate the ceasefire, as it did in Gaza in March. NATO members must now confront a fundamental question: Can the alliance survive if member states may launch unilateral military action that puts others at risk? The U.S. may have legitimate evidence that Iran violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty or was just about to do so. But if that were the case, the proper course would have been to present the evidence to the IAEA and pursue a coordinated response through the U.N. Security Council. 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If NATO fails to uphold the rule of law, it risks forfeiting its role as the cornerstone of global security. The alliance's fate — and the future of global stability — will hinge on whether its leaders insist on pursuing peace rather than confrontation. Ahmet Davutoglu is a former prime minister (2014-2016) and foreign minister (2009-2014) of Turkey. © Project Syndicate, 2025
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