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From the Cabinet Secretariat website U.S. President Donald Trump, right, talks with economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, left, at the White House.
By Masaomi Shimosato and Masashi Nakata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers
15:39 JST, April 18, 2025
When economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa was ushered into the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning Japan time) for high-level bilateral talks on U.S. tariffs, he encountered an unexpected attendee: U.S. President Donald Trump.
Akazawa’s meeting with Trump marked the start of Japan’s efforts to convince the United States to review its tariff measures. Trump’s surprise appearance indicated the U.S. side’s eagerness to strike a deal, but tough demands are expected to be leveled at Japan in upcoming talks as the president pursues his goal of eliminating the U.S. trade deficit. It will not be easy to find common ground during the 90-day pause on Washington’s additional portion of reciprocal tariffs.
As Akazawa faced Trump across the Resolute Desk, the president soon expressed his discontent over the U.S. trade imbalance with Japan and other issues. Trump mentioned that he felt there was a lack of U.S. cars on Japan’s roads.
Trump trotted out the same phrases he had used at previous summit meetings with Japanese prime ministers and on other occasions. However, Akazawa was prepared. “There weren’t any unexpected demands thrust our way,” a relieved-looking senior government official told The Yomiuri Shimbun.
U.S. cabinet members including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also attended the meeting, and Akazawa “strongly” expressed the government’s position that U.S. duties on automobiles, steel and aluminum and the 10% reciprocal tariffs were all “regrettable.”
The unusual face-to-face meeting between the U.S. president and a “clearly lower-ranked” negotiation partner, as Akazawa described himself, lasted for about 50 minutes. Trump posed for a photo with the Japanese minister and gave him a red cap emblazoned with his trademark phrase, “Make America Great Again.”
China on Trump’s mind?
Trump’s decision to suddenly attend a ministerial-level meeting had Japanese government officials scrambling.
“It was a sign that he’s personally trying to somehow wrap up the talks,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to several Southeast Asian nations also appears to have been a factor behind Trump’s decision. Xi is attempting to foster stronger cooperation with nations hit hard by the higher U.S. tariffs. The longer that tariff negotiations between the United States and its trading partners drag on, the more China’s influence could grow.
No ‘specific demands’ made
It remains unclear whether the negotiations will proceed smoothly. During Akazawa’s meeting with Trump and later talks with U.S. ministers, the U.S. side “did not present any specific demands” regarding the automobile sector, according to a senior Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry official. As a result, the Japanese side is unable to pull off its strategy of carefully listening to the U.S. side’s demands during this first round of talks, returning home and then considering how to approach future negotiations.
Of all the nations the Trump administration slapped reciprocal tariffs on, Japan was the first to enter negotiations with the United States. Japan, Bessent said, was first in line. The conditions of any agreement reached between Tokyo and Washington could influence how U.S. negotiations with other nations pan out. Consequently, the U.S. side is likely to resist giving any easy concessions to Japan. A senior government official who accompanied Akazawa admitted as much. “There were some tough moments [during the talks],” the official said.
Akazawa seems to have achieved his objective of building a relationship of mutual trust with the U.S. side during these meetings. Ultimately, however, the outcome of these negotiations will hinge on Trump’s intentions. “We have yet to see a light at the end of the tunnel,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told his close aides: “We don’t know what the Trump administration will do next. It’s important that we calmly deal with this issue.”
