Japan Launches Task Force on Response to Trump Tariffs; Support for Affected Industries to Be Considered

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:08 JST, April 11, 2025

The government on Friday set up a cross-sectoral task force to oversee Japan’s response to tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The task force was established at the second meeting of the Comprehensive Response Headquarters for U.S Tariff Measures at the Prime Minister’s Office. At the meeting, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba instructed all Cabinet ministers to support domestic industries and take other steps. He intends to send Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic revitalization who will serve as Japan’s chief negotiator with the Trump administration, to the United States as early as next week in order to discuss a review of the U.S. tariffs with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other U.S. officials.

“We will build an all-Japan organization that transcends the boundaries of government ministries and agencies to work on negotiations with the United States as well as measures to support domestic industries,” Ishiba said.

While calling on Washington to review its tariff policy, Ishiba instructed the members of the response headquarters to analyze the impact of the tariffs on domestic industries and provide them with support. Under the headquarters, the task force — which comprises relevant government bodies, such as the Foreign Ministry and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry — was launched with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and Akazawa serving as co-chairs.

The task force is expected to look into Japan’s possible negotiating cards and consider economic measures for the automobile and other domestic sectors.

At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Akazawa said, “I bear a great responsibility, so I will give it top priority and do my utmost to achieve good results.”

Masaki Ogushi, a state minister for economy, trade and industry, and Isato Kunisada, a parliamentary vice minister for land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, are also scheduled to join the negotiations with the Trump administration.

In a telephone conversation on Monday, Ishiba had agreed with Trump to continue the discussions on the tariffs by each appointing their ministers in charge.