Japan Calls on US to Delay Tariff Increases Before Takaichi-Trump Talks

(MENAFN) Japan has called on the United States to refrain from raising tariffs on Japanese goods ahead of a scheduled meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, according to reports on Saturday.

During Friday discussions in Washington with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Ryosei Akazawa emphasized that the U.S. should not impose higher tariffs than those agreed upon last year.

Speaking to reporters after the two-hour meeting, Akazawa said the talks also addressed joint investment initiatives and collaboration in critical sectors such as energy, strategic minerals, and artificial intelligence.

The discussions precede a White House meeting scheduled for March 19 between Takaichi and Trump.

Concerns over tariffs resurfaced last month when the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated previous sweeping global tariffs imposed under Trump. In response, the former president announced a new 10% global tariff on most imports, with plans to increase it to 15%, under a separate authority.

Akazawa reportedly requested that the U.S. exempt Japanese imports from any additional tariff increases, citing the bilateral agreement reached last July. Under that deal, Japan committed to investing approximately $550 billion in strategic U.S. industries in exchange for lower tariffs.

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