Ishiba described the recent ministerial talks as “very positive and constructive”, but noted that gaps remain between the two countries.
PRIME Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday Japan will not sacrifice its national interests to conclude ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States, following the end of another round of ministerial-level talks.
Ishiba said the talks were “very positive and constructive” but there remain gaps between the two nations, telling reporters that “maximum efforts” are needed from both sides to reach any deal. During the roughly two-hour meeting in Washington with US government officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Japan’s top negotiator Ryosei Akazawa called for a review of the tariff policy undertaken by President Donald Trump.
While no substantive agreement was reached, the ministers agreed that another round of negotiations will be held from mid-May onward, according to Akazawa, who serves as Japan’s economic revitalization minister.
Ishiba said “the sooner, the better” when asked about the prospect of a bilateral deal. “That said, we should avoid undermining national interests at the expense of prioritizing speed over the substance” of any agreement, he told reporters at his office.
“They have issues that they want to point out and we have our own,” the prime minister said. “We haven’t reached a point where we can find common ground yet.” Japan is among the first nations that the United States has begun negotiations with over higher tariffs on US imports, which Trump is using to rectify what he sees as imbalanced trade. — Kyodo
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