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The Yomiuri Shimbun Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responds to questions from reporters at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Saturday.
Jiji Press
10:18 JST, May 4, 2025
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed on Saturday to urge the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider all of its additional tariff measures introduced recently.
“We are discussing all tariff measures,” Ishiba told reporters after being briefed at his official residence earlier in the day by economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa on his latest visit to the United States.
“There is a gap in positions between Japan and the United States,” Ishiba said, adding that Tokyo and Washington are not in a situation where they can find common ground.
Akazawa met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other U.S. officials for the second round of bilateral tariff negotiations in Washington on Thursday.
In the session, the U.S. side reportedly told Japan that it does not plan to discuss automobile, steel and aluminum tariffs in its negotiations with Tokyo while focusing on so-called reciprocal tariffs.
On Saturday, Ishiba discussed future responses with Akazawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and Masataka Okano, secretary-general of the National Security Secretariat.
In particular, the prime minister instructed Akazawa and Hayashi to work on the matter speedily ahead of the next Japan-U.S. ministerial meeting to be held in mid-May at the earliest, saying that “progress must be made” in the upcoming session.
Ishiba also expressed his intention to take all possible support measures at home.
Referring to the additional 25% auto parts tariffs introduced by the Trump administration Saturday, Ishiba told reporters: “It is regrettable. We will continue to call for a review.”
Akazawa, who returned from the U.S. trip Saturday, told the press, “We cannot reach an agreement unless a review of automobile, auto parts, steel and aluminum tariffs is included in the package.”
“There is no prospect for that” at the moment, he said, stressing that he plans to patiently talk with the U.S. side.
