Security Issues Separate from Japan-U.S. Tariff Talks; Japan Govt Wary Trump Will Try to Link the Two

By Yujiro Okabe / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

6:00 JST, April 19, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump did not delve deeply into security issues during talks over tariffs at the White House on Wednesday, according to sources.

The Japanese government was wary of security issues becoming bargaining chips in the tariff negotiations. Such issues include Japan’s defense spending and its share of the costs of stationing U.S. troops in Japan.

Early Wednesday morning (shortly after 7 p.m. in Japan) Trump issued a social media post indicating that the “cost of military support” would be on table in the negotiations between two countries, causing anxiety in the Japanese government.

No senior Defense Ministry officials accompanied Ryosei Akazawa, the economic revitalization minister who visited the United States for the negotiations. When the delegation prepared anticipated questions and answers, it mainly focused on economic issues such as trade and foreign exchange.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held an emergency meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and others at the prime minister’s official residence just after 10 p.m., and decided that if new demands were made on security, Akazawa would carefully explain Japan’s efforts, but take the matter home, saying that he was “not given authority in that area.”

In fact, when Trump invited Akazawa to the White House, he said that Japan’s share of the cost of stationing U.S. troops was too small, and as expected, he expressed his dissatisfaction on the topic of security. In response, Akazawa asked for understanding from him, explaining the current situation, in which Japan is paying a total of ¥1.055 trillion over the five-year period from fiscal 2022 to 2026 for the cost of stationing U.S. troops.

According to sources, Trump did not go any further than that, and the issue was not on the agenda at the ministerial-level talks. The development that Japan was most concerned about has been avoided for the time being.

“Trump was just expressing his opinion, and the remark has nothing to do with the tariff negotiations,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said.

There is a reason why Japan is sensitive about linking the discussions of security and tariffs.

“If the Japan-U.S. alliance were to be shaken for economic reasons, Japan’s deterrent could be undermined,” a senior Defense Ministry official said. Tokyo wants to separate security issues from tariff talks by explaining to Washington the benefits of strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities and a strong bilateral alliances.

However, Trump’s negotiating tactics involve playing any card he can to shake up his opponents, which has Japan remaining cautious.

“We cannot rule out the possibility that Trump will suddenly bring up the topic of security again in the future,” said a senior Japanese government official.