Kishida: Japan Must Focus on Showing Benefits During U.S. Trade Talks; Hasty Agreements Must Be Avoided

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, April 27, 2025

Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the necessity of demonstrating the benefits of a stable and deep Japan-U.S. relationship with the United States, in a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The following is taken from the interview conducted by Staff Writer Kota Iga.

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The success of future U.S.-Japan trade negotiations under the Trump administration’s tariff policy hinges on what we put on the table. Given [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump’s open articulation of his interests, Japan needs to have its negotiating points firmly in order, otherwise progress will stall.

To counter President Trump’s America First stance, logic alone is insufficient. It is vital to persuade him that a stable and deep Japan-U.S. relationship is beneficial for U.S. security and its economy.

During my meeting with Mr. [Ryosei] Akazawa, the minister in charge of economic revitalization, on Thursday, I warned that mixing economic and security considerations would wreck the negotiations. Economic and security issues have different metrics and must be dealt with separately. Given the volatility of Mr. Trump’s statements and changing economic conditions, Japan should avoid hasty agreements.

Summit diplomacy will prove crucial in Japan-U.S. negotiations when resolving impasses or requiring final decisions to be made. Therefore, I urge Prime Minister [Shigeru] Ishiba to cultivate a personal relationship of trust with President Trump.

I heard the Japan-U.S. summit in February had a good atmosphere, but building a personal relationship is not that easy with just one meeting. The two should also utilize phone calls and brief conversations at international conferences.

The United States now appears to be abandoning the post-World War II international order it established. As an island nation with limited resources, Japan’s response to the United States must be pragmatic and realistic, while it steadfastly upholds the principles of free trade and the rule of law.

For the time being, a hybrid diplomatic strategy that strategically differentiates approaches to the United States and the international community will be essential.

In the international arena, Japan should proactively take the initiative to protect the global order by building alliances with countries that share such values as free trade. It is essential to revitalize the World Trade Organization and expand the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

For Japan, it is also important to interact with countries in Southeast Asia and elsewhere that are significantly impacted by U.S. tariff measures. China is also moving to fill the vacuums created by the United States.

As the prime minister’s special envoy, I plan to visit Indonesia and Malaysia during the Golden Week holidays in May to meet with their leaders. The prime minister will also visit Vietnam and the Philippines. Our combined efforts are aimed at delivering a message of solidarity to nations affected by the U.S.-China confrontation.

Fumio Kishida

Kishida is a graduate of Waseda University. Following a career in banking, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 and has represented a constituency in Hiroshima for 11 terms. He served as foreign minister from December 2012 for four years and seven months, and became Japan’s 100th prime minister in October 2021. In 2024, during his premiership, he addressed the U.S. Congress, advocating for continued U.S. involvement in upholding the international order. He is 67.