Trump says Japan sending team for talks, Japan urges him to rethink tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
WASHINGTON: Japan is sending a team to negotiate on trade, US President Donald Trump said, adding that he spoke earlier on Monday (Apr 7) with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who separately said he told Trump to rethink tariff policies.
Trump's decision to impose a 25 per cent levy on auto imports and a reciprocal 24 per cent tariff on other Japanese goods is expected to deal a huge blow to Japan's export-heavy economy. Analysts predict the higher duties could knock up to 0.8 per cent off economic growth.
"Countries from all over the world are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set," Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform.
Trump has put Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in charge of trade negotiations with Japan, Bessent said on social media.
The Japanese prime minister said he told Trump in a telephone call that his tariff policies are extremely disappointing and urged him to rethink.
"So we have a great relationship with Japan. We're going to keep it that way," Trump later told reporters on Monday.
Trump said last week that he would impose a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imports to the US and higher duties on dozens of other countries, including some of Washington's biggest trading partners, rattling global markets and bewildering US allies.
Ishiba summoned key economic ministers, including Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, Sunday evening and instructed them to be vigilant and respond to market developments, according to Japan's Nikkei newspaper.
