Akazawa: Japan, U.S. Still Unable to Agree After 5th Round of Tariff Talks; Countries Hope to Reach Agreement on Sidelines of G7 Summit

By Kentaro Kuroki and Takeru Kise Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

16:16 JST, June 7, 2025

WASHINGTON — Japan and the United States made some progress but have yet to come to an agreement on tariffs, economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa said after a fifth round of tariff talks in Washington on Friday.

Akazawa met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is the U.S. chief negotiator on tariffs, to finalize arrangements toward an agreement between the leaders of the two countries.

“We will continue to work vigorously to reach an agreement that is beneficial to both Japan and the United States,” Akazawa told reporters after the meeting.

It still appears that Tokyo and Washington are not in agreement over the elimination of U.S. tariffs, something Japan has demanded.

According to sources, only a small number of people, including interpreters, attended the meeting. With an eye to reaching an agreement on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit set for mid-June, Japan and the United States are believed to have looked for a compromise.

Akazawa has visited the United States for tariff negotiations for the third consecutive week. This was the fifth ministerial-level meeting after the first round was held in April. Following a 110-minute meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday, Akazawa met with Bessent for 45 minutes on Friday followed by another 110-minute- meeting with Lutnick.

“We made some progress toward an agreement, but we haven’t found common ground yet,” Akazawa said.

However, he said the leaders of the two countries would meet after being notified of the progress of the tariff talks.

While in Washington, Akazawa repeated a call for the United States to remove tariffs. Japan has regarded the elimination of the tariffs as a prerequisite for an agreement, but it is also considering making a deal if Washington significantly reduces its additional tariffs.

The focus will be on what concessions Japan can draw from the United States on the 25% tariff imposed on automobiles, which is a key industry for Japan, among other issues.

In the tariff negotiations so far, Japan proposed expanding its imports of U.S. agricultural products and reviewing non-tariff barriers on automobiles — steps that Washington has called for Tokyo to take.

With China in mind, Japan is also considering measures with the United States to strengthen supply chains for rare earth metals and other items.