Japan’s top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa will leave Friday for the US for a third round of trade talks with the Trump administration.
“Our position remains unchanged in strongly requesting a review of the series of US tariff measures,” Akazawa said Thursday evening. “We will engage in discussions with a frank and constructive attitude to reach a mutually beneficial agreement as soon as possible”
His latest visit comes as Japan, first considered likely to strike an early deal, appears to be falling behind other nations after the US reached its first agreement with the UK and a truce over tariffs with China. Akazawa is to return to Japan Sunday.
Akazawa said details of the meeting are still to be hammered out including who will attend from the US side. Local media reports say he’s expected to meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is to skip the gathering. Akazawa plans to return to Washington again on May 30 to meet with Bessent, according to a Yomiuri newspaper report.
US President Donald Trump has slapped Japan with a 25% levy on autos, steel and aluminum and a 10% across-the-board tariff. The latter is set to return to an original 24% in early July, barring a trade deal.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said that Japan won’t compromise its national interests by rushing into a deal or striking an agreement that doesn’t address the car levy.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
