THE EDITOR – The Japanese government chose not to comment on the threat of US President Donald Trump to increase tariffs on Japanese products, and said it would continue bilateral talks.
In a press conference, Deputy Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said Japan wanted mutually beneficial agreements through ongoing negotiations with the United States.
Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Japanese products by 30 percent or 35 percent, ahead of the 90-day grace period of the “reciprocal” tariff policy ending on July 9.
The statement was made amid ministerial-level negotiations between the two countries that have so far not resulted in an agreement. Trump also expressed his disappointment over the export of US cars and rice to Japan.
“We know what President Trump said, but we will not comment on any statements from US government officials,” Aoki said in Voice of Indonesia on 2 July 2025.
“We intend to continue bilateral talks sincerely and with good faith in order to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for Japan and the United States,” he added.
The United States charges tariffs on various products, ranging from cars and spare parts to steel and aluminum. Although the resiprocal rate is still suspended for three months, a basic rate of 10 percent has been imposed.
Among the higher rates on shipments to the US, the 25 percent import tax on cars is a major blow to companies like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., given the importance of the US market for their income.
Trump used tariffs as a strategy to reduce his country’s major trade deficit with Japan.
When Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met Trump in mid-June, the two failed to reach an agreement because there were still differences of opinion.
Japan continues to urge the United States to reconsider its tariff policies and reach mutually beneficial agreements, which most likely involve increasing Japanese investment, but these efforts have so far yielded no results.
“I’m not sure we will reach an agreement. I doubt it,” Trump told reporters on the Air Force One plane, calling Japan a “very harsh” and “very spoiled” country.
Ahead of the important parliamentary elections on July 20, both Ishiba and Ryosei Akazawa, officials close to the prime minister and major Japanese tariff negotiators, stressed the government would not rush to make a deal at the expense of national interests, especially in protecting the agricultural sector.
