The chief trading negotiator in Japan, Riozi Akazawa, pointed to his goal of resolving the customs tariff talks in time for the June meeting between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigro Ishiba in the wake of the sudden Trump axis to allow a partnership between two steel makers in countries.
“It has been emphasized that the leaders of the two countries are looking for their meeting,” Akazawa told reporters in Washington on Friday after their meeting with US Minister of Trade Howard Lottennik and USTr Jamieson Greer. “We will do our best with this in mind.”
Akazawa comments follow the phoneCallBetween Trump and Aishiba, who pledges to meet on the sidelines of a group of seven summit next month. Hours after that, Trump indicated his approval of a partnership between Nippon Steel Corp. and Steel USA Corp. He raised hopes that the president would be more willing to listen to the position of Japan.
Read more:Trump is shocked with the approval of the Nippnies, but long -standing details
The US President said the partnership will create at least 70,000 jobs and add $ 14 billion to the US economy. Benefiting from the importance of Japan’s investment in the American economy is among the tactics that Tokyo is likely to use to win concessions from Washington on the definitions. Japan had the largest stock of foreign direct investment in the United States in the five years until 2023, and the data of the Ministry of Commerce appears.
Akazawa said that investment by Nippon Steel will help the American economy, although he refused to comment on the implications of the corporate deal for commercial talks or whether the deal is a purchase process before an official announcement from the United States.
A separate statement at the Cabinet Office said that Akazawa was firmly requested by the United States to review its tariff for Japan. Akazawa said that the talks focused on expanding the scope of measures and cooperation between trade and cooperation on economic security, and they were frank and deeper than before.
As with other countries, Trump slapped Japan with a 25 % imposition on cars, steel and aluminum and a 10 % tariff on board. The so -called mutual tariff is to be raised to 24 % in early July, except for a deal. Cars and car parts consist of a third of all exports to the United States from Japan. The auto industry is a major driver for the growth of the Japanese economy and employs about 8 % of the workforce.
With elections in the Supreme House of Representatives this summer, access to a commercial deal can help enhance the Eshiba approval classifications, which have decreased to the lowest levels of the Premier League. However, the deal that gives a lot of land to the United States, especially in the agricultural sector, without addressing the automatic tariff can bring counter -results.
Read more:PM support in Japan Ishiba, unprecedented before July
For Akazawa, this was the third round of higher -level commercial talks with his counterparts in the United States. It is expected that the United States will be reviewed to meet the Treasury Secretary Scott Beesen next week. Speaking before Friday meetings, Akazawa stressed the need to reach the deal as a package and warned against rushing to do so.
Akazawa said: “It does not make sense to talk about how close you are to negotiate because, as it was said in the English language, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-2212352869-e1748096563391.jpg?resize=1200,600
Source link