The Japan negotiator in the US will continue the conversations about tariffs after not reaching an agreement
The main negotiator appointed by Japan to address the new US tariffs, Ryosei Akazawa, urged the United States on Wednesday to reconsider their measures during the first meeting with their counterparts in Washington and after not reaching an initial agreement, both parties agreed to hold another meeting to continue dialoguing.
“We have transmitted that the tariff measure is extremely unfortunate, since it affects the Japanese industry, the investment and growth of employment in the US,” Akazawa said after the meeting in statements to Japanese media displaced to Washington.
The Japanese also stressed that they have agreed to follow the “frank” conversations, hold a second meeting this month and hold a not only ministerial meeting, but also of senior officials of both executives. Akazawa is expected to meet again at the end of April with US Treasury secretary, Scott Besent, in order to try to reach an agreement, said the Japanese part.
The US president, Donald Trump, who joined the negotiators in the session that took place in the White House, indicated that conversations with Japan about tariffs must be an absolute priority, according to Akazawa. Trump described as “great progress” the meeting with the Japanese delegation of Commerce, which seeks that the administration of the president eliminates the tariff measures imposed on the Asian country. “It was a great honor to have met with the Japanese delegation of Commerce. A great progress!” He wrote in his social truth network at the end of the meeting, without offering more details about it.
In Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ihiba said after finishing the meeting there that there is “a distance” between Japan and the US regarding the tariff situation and that “you cannot expect easy negotiations” with Trump, although the important thing is that these conversations continue to occur.
Some sources have pointed out that during the meeting, which was focused on negotiating tariff issues, Trump would have asked the Japanese party to assume greater responsibilities in defense, information that the Japanese Executive did not want to confirm.
As happened during his first term, Trump has been asking the countries where he has displayed troops, to assume a higher percentage of deployment costs, among other points.
The Japanese government has been claiming the administration leading Donald Trump to an exemption from additional tariffs on the motor industry, especially harmful to Japan as it is one of its main industries, which also has its largest market in the United States, as well as other new rates.
The new tax rate on American imports of passenger vehicles currently amounts to 27.5%, 25% more than the tax that was applied before Trump’s return.
The president has indicated, however, that he could grant more time to some engine manufacturers that are contemplating to transfer production facilities to the United States, before effectively imposing the new measures.
Trump announced a 90 -day break in the application of what calls ‘reciprocal’ tariffs, which affect the main US business partners with whom he holds deficit or who considers that they impose “unjust” non -tariff barriers, and that in the case of Japan they amount to 24%. (EFE)
