TRADE TENSIONS AND TARIFFS
Japan, a key US ally and its largest investor, has been subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff imposed by Trump on most trading partners, as well as steeper levies on autos, steel and aluminium. In April, Trump announced an additional 24 per cent “reciprocal” tariff on Japanese imports but paused enforcement until July.
Despite five rounds of talks, both sides remain far apart. Japan insists that all Trump-announced tariffs must be lifted for any agreement to proceed.
“Our position remains unchanged,” Ishiba said.
Tokyo’s trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa had earlier told reporters in Washington that “some progress” had been made but that “we’ve not been able to find a point of agreement yet.”
G7 SUMMIT AND MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS
Ishiba said the upcoming G7 summit would be a chance to deepen dialogue on the bilateral relationship. The leaders also discussed Israel’s military strikes on Iran, and according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, reaffirmed that “peace and stability in the Middle East is extremely important.”
