U.S. and Japan Set for High-Stakes Trade Talks on Tariffs
President Donald Trump is set to meet with Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Ryōsei Akazawa on Wednesday for what could become a landmark trade negotiation between the U.S. and Japan.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will also participate in the discussions, which are expected to cover a broad range of issues including tariffs, military support costs, energy cooperation, and exchange rates.
“First-Mover Advantage” and Win-Win Deal Prospects
Ahead of the talks, Bessent emphasized the White House’s willingness to reward early engagement in trade diplomacy, telling Bloomberg that there’s a “first-mover advantage” when negotiating with the Trump administration. Japan, hoping to capitalize on that opportunity, is seeking a balanced deal that addresses its trade imbalance with the U.S., while maintaining favorable conditions for its exports.
On social media, President Trump confirmed the scope of the talks and expressed optimism:
“Japan is coming in today to negotiate tariffs, the cost of military support, and ‘TRADE FAIRNESS.’ … Hopefully something can be worked out which is good (GREAT!) for Japan and the USA!”
Japan Faces Tariff Pressure Amid Ongoing U.S. Trade Offensive
Japan is currently subject to a 24% tariff on select exports as part of Trump’s sweeping trade measures introduced under the “Liberation Day” executive order. While that specific tariff has been paused for 90 days, Japan remains exposed to a universal 10% tariff, and its automotive exports continue to face additional duties.
Tokyo has made it clear that it does not intend to make major concessions just to conclude a deal quickly. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told parliament:
“I’m not of the view that we should make big concessions for the sake of wrapping up negotiations quickly. In negotiating with the United States, we need to understand what’s behind Trump’s argument—both logically and emotionally.”
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a "detective-like" mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
