Japan Govt Fears U.S.-China Talks May Sideline Japan-U.S. Negotiations; Agreement Welcomed, Details to Be Analyzed

By Kenta Kamimura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

20:00 JST, May 13, 2025

The government is concerned about the potential impact the agreement between the United States and China, which includes lowering their recently imposed additional tariffs on each other, will have on the Japan-U.S. negotiations.

Japan and the United States are aiming for a June agreement through intensive ministerial talks to be held as early as this month. But there are concerns that Washington will prioritize negotiations with Beijing, sidelining Tokyo.

“We’re analyzing the details [of the U.S.-China deal],” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday.

The easing of the U.S.-China clash has been welcomed within the government, as there had been concerns that the intensifying trade friction between the United States and China would have a negative impact on the global economy.

Since many Japanese companies export to the United States via China, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official had said, “It would also be bad for Japanese companies if the United States and China impose high tariffs on each other without grounds,” expressing hope for the end of the retaliatory tariff battle between the two countries.

However, the impact of the U.S.-China agreement on Japan-U.S. negotiations is expected to be limited. According to a senior government official, the United States has stated that the U.S.-China agreement will not set a precedent for other countries.

One government official familiar with the issue pointed out, “China, which has been fighting with the U.S. through raising tariffs on each other, and Japan, which is aiming for a win-win agreement, are in different positions.”

China is seen as the biggest target of the U.S. administration’s tariff measures. The senior government official voiced concern that, if the U.S.-China talks make progress, “The U.S. side may place Japan lower in its order of priorities.”

The Japan-U.S. negotiations are scheduled to resume in earnest soon.

“The U.S.-China agreement is the result of the U.S. side making a compromise to China,” said an executive of a major Japanese automobile manufacturer. “The Japanese government does not need to rush to play its cards.”

He added, “I hope that the Japanese government will determine the stance of the U.S. side and negotiate for the best possible outcome.”