Japan says US chief tariff negotiator didn’t discuss Trump's decision to double steel, aluminum tariffs
Japan's chief tariff negotiator revealed on Sunday that his US counterpart did not discuss US President Donald Trump's decision to double steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% during their talks in Washington late last week, according to local newspaper the Mainichi.
Trump’s announcement was made on social media Friday, coinciding with a meeting between Japan’s Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with other officials, for a fourth round of bilateral tariff talks.
Trump's May 30 announcement raised tariffs from 25% to 50% on steel and aluminum imports, effective June 4. The move aims to bolster domestic industries by closing gaps that foreign competitors have exploited to bypass previous tariffs.
After returning to Tokyo, Akazawa told reporters that the government would “closely watch the specific details of the measures that will be revealed in the future" by the US.
Commenting on Nippon Steel Corp.'s plan to acquire United States Steel Corp., Akazawa stated: "We are looking forward to a very optimistic announcement" from the Trump administration.
He also mentioned that Japan and the US are coordinating to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Ishiba and President Trump on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada in mid-June, following a fifth round of tariff negotiations.
