Akazawa, Japan’s Chief Negotiator for Tariff Talks, Plans to Visit U.S. for 8th Round of Talks

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:58 JST, July 20, 2025

Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa plans to visit the United States this week at the earliest for an eighth round for tariff negotiations, he said Saturday at a ministerial meeting.

Akazawa told reporters in Osaka about the planned visit after showing U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent around the venue of the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Bessent is the chief U.S. negotiator for Japan’s tariff talks.

The Aug. 1 deadline of the U.S. imposing its 25% “reciprocal tariff” on Japanese imports is approaching. “While protecting Japan’s national interests, I want to continue efforts of searching for a possible concession that both sides can agree on,” Akazawa said.

If his visit to the United States is realized, it will be Akazawa’s first since late June.

On the day, Akazawa and Bessent visited the Japanese and U.S. pavilions at the Expo as the U.S. treasury secretary attended an official event for the United States’ “national day” at the Expo.

The U.S. did not regard Bessent’s visit to Japan as part of the tariff talks. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Bessent met on Friday but exchanged only a few remarks about the tariff.

“We did not discuss tariff-related issues,” Akazawa added on Saturday.