Ishiba Stresses Importance of Swift Implementation of Japan-U.S. Tariff Agreement; Says He Sent Letter Inviting Trump to Visit Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:43 JST, September 5, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday said that it is important for Japan and the United States to mutually implement their tariff agreement “swiftly and faithfully.”

Ishiba made the remark to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the tariff deal reached between the two countries. Ishiba also said he had delivered a letter inviting Trump to Japan through economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa during Akazawa’s most recent visit to the United States for tariff talks.

Trump’s signing of the executive order brings the Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations to a stopping point for now. When asked by a reporter about whether he intends to stay in office, Ishiba said, “That doesn’t really have anything to do with this.”

The executive order states that Japan will work toward implementing a 75% increase in the amount of rice it purchases from the U.S. under a duty-free import quota scheme called “minimum access.”

At a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Friday morning, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said: “We have reiterated our position that the total volume of rice imported under the minimum access scheme will not increase. I understand this position has been reaffirmed [with the executive order].”