Japan's top negotiator eyes U.S. trip this week for 6th tariff talks

Kyodo News

3 days ago

KYODO NEWS - 4 hours ago - 13:30 | All, Japan
Japan's top tariff negotiator is arranging a visit to the United States later this week for a sixth round of ministerial-level talks aimed at securing concessions over a series of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, a government source said Monday.
The fourth trip in as many weeks by Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, would come ahead of an envisioned meeting between the leaders of Japan and the United States at the time of the three-day Group of Seven summit in Canada from June 15.
Akazawa is expected to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick again, after holding talks with them last week in Washington, the source said.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government is urging the Trump administration to remove the additional tariffs, saying they are having a serious impact on Japan's export-oriented economy, which has been languishing as an important national election looms this summer.
Following the fifth round of talks with U.S. officials, Akazawa told reporters that discussions on tariff issues between Japan and the United States are progressing, but the two sides have "yet to find common ground."
After returning to Tokyo on Sunday, Akazawa pledged to continue "intensive" deliberations on trade expansion, non-tariff barriers and bilateral cooperation on economic security, with Trump expected to continue pursuing protectionist policies.
Akazawa, who met with Ishiba on the day of his return to report the outcome of his visit, said the Japanese and U.S. leaders may talk directly once the ministerial-level negotiations reach a point where an agreement is in sight.
Under Trump's so-called reciprocal tariff regime, announced on April 2, nearly every nation in the world has been hit with a baseline duty of 10 percent, with Japan facing an additional country-specific tariff of 14 percent for a total rate of 24 percent.
Japan has also been affected by Trump's extra 25 percent tariff on automobiles, along with other sector-specific levies imposed on national security grounds. Tokyo presented a package of proposals to Washington over the period since the first ministerial meeting in mid-April.
The package includes joint supply chain efforts on semiconductors and critical minerals, cooperation in shipbuilding, greater U.S. farm imports and streamlined safety rules for foreign-made cars, sources close to the matter said.
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