Japan Pushes for Trump Tariff Exemption
During Friday talks in Washington, Japan's economy, trade, and industry minister Ryosei Akazawa pressed US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to refrain from imposing tariffs on Japanese goods beyond levels agreed upon last year, according to media.
Speaking to reporters following the two-hour meeting, Akazawa said the discussions also covered joint investment projects and cooperation in key sectors including energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence.
The diplomatic push sets the stage for a high-stakes White House meeting between Takaichi and Trump scheduled for March 19.
Tariffs have surged back to the forefront of US-Japan relations after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump's sweeping global tariff regime last month. Trump swiftly responded by announcing a new baseline global tariff rate of 10% on most imports — with a planned escalation to 15% — invoking a different legal authority.
Akazawa said he explicitly asked the US not to apply the higher tariff rates to Japanese imports, pointing to the bilateral deal struck last July as grounds for exemption.
Under that agreement, Japan committed to investing approximately $550 billion in strategic US industries in exchange for reduced tariff rates.
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