Prime Minister Ishiba Reiterates Demand for U.S. Removal of Auto Tariffs

Jiji Press

13:24 JST, May 11, 2025

Tokyo (Jiji Press)— Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated his country’s demand on Sunday that the United States withdraw its auto tariffs after Washington and London agreed to create a low-tariff quota for British car exports to the United States.

“It is a model,” Ishiba said on television, referring to the U.S.-British agreement. But he said Japan’s trade and investment situation differs from that of Britain.

Establishing a low-tariff quota is “one way,” but Britain’s annual car exports to the United States are limited to some 100,000 units, Ishiba said. Japan will continue to demand the full removal of the U.S. auto tariffs, he said.

The Japanese auto industry is investing in the United States and creating jobs there, Ishiba said. “If we exhaust the Japanese auto industry, we will not be able to invest in the United States,” he said.

Ishiba said expanding Japan’s imports of U.S. rice “can be an option.” But he added, “We will not sacrifice agriculture for cars” in tariff talks with the United States.

He expressed a positive view on increasing corn imports from the United States.

The prime minister said Japan does not have to make compromises to meet U.S. President Donald Trump’s July 9 deadline to avoid his reciprocal tariffs. “It does not mean that we have to make unreasonable compromises because the deadline is coming,” he said.

Ishiba reiterated a cautious stance on a proposed consumption tax cut.

“Is it right to help those who are in trouble and those who are not in trouble together (with a tax cut)? Is there any other way to provide generous support to people in need?” he said.