Intense Debate in Lower House: Japan-U.S. Tariff Negotiations Draw the World’s Attention

Editorial

14:44 JST, April 15, 2025

Japan is set to be one of the first nations to talk with the United States over a review of U.S. tariff measures.

Will Japan be able to avoid a crisis regarding the free trade system while finding a point of agreement with the United States through persistent negotiations? With the world’s attention focused on it, Japan’s diplomatic ability will be put to the test.

The U.S. tariff policy has been intensively debated at the Budget Committee of Japan’s House of Representatives. Political parties made a series of demands to the government.

In the trade agreement that Japan and the United States signed in 2019 during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term, it was decided that Japan would reduce tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, while the United States would lower tariffs on many industrial products.

At that time, Japan explained that Washington had promised not to impose additional tariffs on Japanese automobiles.

However, Trump, who returned to power in January, has introduced 25% tariffs on automobiles and steel and aluminum products, including those from Japan.

Referring to this development, Yoshihiko Noda, the president of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, called on the government to “ask the United States if this introduction of tariffs is a violation of the agreement.” He also said that if the United States claims that Japan’s safety standards and other matters are “non-tariff barriers,” Japan should clearly reject this argument.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he would “make efforts so that Trump will be willing to listen to what Japan says,” and added that this was not about Japan cozying up to or fawning on Trump.

If Japan simply explains points of law to the Trump administration, which is trying to impose tariffs without any hesitation on the grounds of protecting U.S. industries, it is unlikely to break out of this deadlock.

Even so, if the Japanese government makes unreasonable concessions in a bid for exceptional treatment by the United States, it could lose the trust of the international community. The government needs to negotiate without shaking the Japan-U.S. alliance by asserting what needs to be asserted and cooperating in areas where it can cooperate.

In the lower house’s intense debate, there was a view that Japan should take the initiative in increasing the members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. How to use and expand the agreement is an issue Japan should actively work to promote the free trade regime.

Security policy will also very likely be on the agenda in the Japan-U.S. negotiations. Trump has complained that “we pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them [Japan], but they don’t pay anything.” However, his remark is contrary to the facts.

Japan provides bases to the United States based on the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and bears a huge amount of the cost of stationing U.S. forces in Japan. In 2015, a security-related law made it possible for Japan to protect U.S. vessels and other equipment.

It is important for the Japanese government to repeatedly convey these facts to Washington, and to strengthen its defensive capabilities to ensure peace and stability in Asia.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 15, 2025)