Japan’s PM calls on Trump to modify executive order of imposing higher tariffs

(MENAFN) Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday called on U.S. President Donald Trump to amend his executive order imposing higher tariffs on Japanese goods, as Washington’s new 15% tariffs on Japanese exports took effect, Kyodo News reported.

The appeal comes amid growing concerns in Tokyo over the impact of the new trade measures, particularly on Japan’s auto industry. Japan’s chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, traveled to Washington earlier this week to seek clarification and a potential reduction in auto tariffs, in line with the terms of the recent bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.

Before leaving Tokyo, Akazawa told Japan’s parliament that his visit aimed to ensure that there were no misunderstandings about the agreed-upon terms.

However, on Wednesday, a White House official stated that Japanese imports would not receive the special treatment Tokyo expected, casting doubt on Japan’s interpretation of the deal.

Under the trade agreement, Japan had pledged to boost U.S. investment as part of a $550 billion initiative. In return, the U.S. was to reduce tariffs on Japanese cars from 27.5% to 15%.

With automobiles being a core sector of Japan’s economy, prolonged higher tariffs could pose serious challenges for Japanese carmakers such as Toyota and Honda, which rely heavily on access to the U.S. market.

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