US President Donald Trump said this week that he was not sure that the United States will reach a trade deal with Japan before the deadline next week to re -temporarily stop the global tariff.
Trump also threatened to impose a 30 percent tariff to 35 percent on Japan if no commercial deal is achieved, especially with regard to US rice and cars sales.
This has caused anxiety among auto and electronic companies in Japan, which enhances its exports to the United States the Japanese economy.
Here is what we know about the commercial talks of the United States of Japan.
What did Trump say about a commercial deal with Japan?
Most of Washington’s trade partners seek to obtain commercial deals on the deadline on July 9 for the end of a temporary stoppage on mutual customs duties.
Commercial conversations It continued between the United States and Japan for some time. The most important negotiator and economy in Japan, Riosi Akazawa, to make the necessary arrangements for his eighth visit to the United States early this week, according to Japanese broadcaster ASAHI TV on Wednesday.
The United States had a $ 69.4 billion trade deficit with Japan in 2024, according to US federal data. Trump is seeking to close this. But this week, he expressed doubts about whether Washington and Tokyo could reach a commercial deal at all.
“We have dealt with Japan,” Trump told reporters on the first air force on Tuesday.
“They and the others are very spoiled by our slide for 30 and 40 years, it is difficult for them to hold a deal.”
Why Trump threatened Japan with new tariffs?
Trump threatened to impose a tariff of “30 percent or 35 percent” on Japan if a trade agreement was not reached by the time when the suspension of the mutual tariff is raised on July 9. A 10 percent essential tariff has remained on the goods imported to the United States, including from Japan, in place throughout this stop.
On April 2, when Trump announced to him.Editing Day“The mutual definitions, a 24 percent tariff for Japan revealed most of the commodities except for cars, aluminum and steel.
Trump says he is not planning to extend the stoppage of multiple tariffs.
Once they return to their place, vehicles and auto parts face from Japan, as well as from other countries, a 25 percent tariff. Aluminum and steel imports of all countries, including Japan, are facing a 50 percent tariff based on a Trams on June 4.
Now, Trump is also demonstrating rice sales to Japan, claiming that Japan does not buy rice from the United States. “I have great respect for Japan, and they will not take our rice, yet they have a great shortage of rice,” he wrote on the social truth platform on Monday. “We will send them a message, and we would like to be a commercial partner for many years,” Trump added, without specifying any details about the message.
Trump also claimed that Japan did not buy cars from the United States. “We haven’t given them a single car for 10 years,” he told reporters at Air Force One this week. During an interview with Fox News that was broadcast on June 29, Trump also said that Japan does not buy American cars and added: “It is not fair.”
“So what I will do is that I will write a message for them, for example, we thank you very much. We know that you cannot do this type of things that we need, and thus will pay by 30 percent or 35 percent or whatever the numbers we specify.” “Because we also have a very large trade deficit with Japan, as you know, which is very unfair for the American people.”
Do Japan buy cars and rice from the United States?
Yes. Contrary to what Trump told reporters this week, Japan bought 354.7 million dollars of rice from the United States between May 2024 and the April 2025, according to the Commercial Data Research Group, the OEC Economic Observatory.
In fact, Japanese rice imports have increased from the United States since the price of rice is locally implanted Rise. A severe heat wave in 2023 resulted in the below the required rice crop, which led to producers and manufacturers who store rice, which was available by early 2024.
In addition, an earthquake southern Japan struck on August 8, 2024, storing consumers of rice and causing rice deficiency. The government decided to release rice from its emergency stock.
Figures from the Association of Autolors in Japan also show that Japan imported 14,724 US passenger cars of $ 1.04 billion in 2024.
This is far from Japanese car sales to the United States. In 2023, for example, Japan exported 41 billion dollars to the United States with only $ 1.25 billion from the United States, according to OEC.
Why did trade talks stop between Japan and the United States?
The Japanese government is also facing local pressure with national elections in the Senate on June 20. The farm sector was traditionally a large voting bloc for Japania PM Shigeru Ishiba Liberal Democratic Party.
Trade negotiator Akazawa said on Tuesday that Japan will not sacrifice the agricultural sector during the commercial talks with the United States.
“I have repeatedly mentioned that agriculture is the basis of the nation. In negotiations with the United States, our position remains unchanged: we will not engage in talks sacrificing the agricultural sector,” Akazawa said at a media conference.
Ishiba also opposes any commercial deal with Trump that does not review the definitions of cars.
“Japan is different from other countries because we are the largest investor in the United States, which creates job opportunities,” Ishia said on Wednesday during a discussion with opposition leaders. “With our primary focus on investing instead of customs tariffs, we will continue to protect our national interest.”
Moreover, Japan is in a stronger position than many other countries because it is the largest foreigner for American debt. According to recent reports, Japan has more than one trillion dollars in US Treasury papers, which may give it influence in commercial conversations.
Did Japan respond to Trump’s high definitions?
Japan has so far refused to comment on this.
During a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Kazuiko Oki said: “We are aware of what President Trump said, but we do not comment on every note made by US government officials.”
How long does the Japanese economy depend on American exports?
While Japan holds large sums of US debt, it depends more on the United States for export more than vice versa. The United States is the largest export market in Japan, with 19.1 percent of the total Japanese exports in 2023, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Only 4.03 percent of US exports to Japan went in 2023. In that year, the United States was issued worth $ 7.7 billion of oil gas to Japan.
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