Japan Welcomes 90-day Suspension of Reciprocal Tariffs; Ishiba Hopes for Full Negotiations in April

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:24 JST, April 10, 2025

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi welcomed on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement to suspend all reciprocal tariffs on Japan and other countries for 90 days.

“We are taking this as a positive sign,” he said at a press conference on Thursday morning.

The suspended reciprocal tariffs were supposed to be imposed on products from Japan and other countries in addition to a 10% blanket tariff for each country, which will remain in place. The additional 25% tariff on automobiles is also still in effect.

Hayashi stressed he would strongly urge the United States to review the measures.

“This is not the moment to celebrate. We will continue negotiations,” a senior Foreign Ministry official told reporters.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to give Ryosei Akazawa, a minister in charge of economic revitalization, a formal letter of appointment to a post in charge of negotiations with the United States on Friday. He hopes to have Akazawa visit the United States this month to begin full-fledged negotiations.

The 90-day period is expected to end just before the House of Councilors election in July. Within the ruling party, there are growing calls for the government to speed up negotiations with the United States.

“Since we have been given a 90-day grace period, we should settle the issue within that time,” said Tsuyoshi Hoshino, director of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Foreign Affairs Division.