Japan’s top negotiator heads to US for sixth round of tariff talks

Japan’s chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, is scheduled to travel to the United States later this week for a pivotal sixth round of ministerial-level discussions aimed at persuading the Trump administration to roll back a series of tariffs that have heavily impacted Japan’s export-driven economy.

This upcoming visit marks Akazawa’s fourth trip to the US within a month, underscoring the urgency Tokyo places on resolving escalating trade tensions ahead of a potential bilateral summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven summit in Canada, set for mid-June, Caliber.Az reports per Japanese media.

Following the fifth round of negotiations last week in Washington, Akazawa is expected to resume talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “Discussions on tariff issues between Japan and the United States are progressing, but the two sides have ‘yet to find common ground,’” Akazawa told reporters after his return to Tokyo.

Prime Minister Ishiba’s administration is pressing the Trump administration to remove these tariffs, emphasizing the severe repercussions on Japan’s economy, which is already grappling with stagnation amid a critical national election later this summer. Akazawa vowed to continue “intensive” deliberations on expanding trade, addressing non-tariff barriers, and strengthening bilateral cooperation on economic security, noting that President Trump is likely to maintain his protectionist stance.

Akazawa, who briefed Prime Minister Ishiba upon his return, indicated that direct dialogue between the two leaders could ensue once the ministerial negotiations edge closer to a resolution.

The tariffs under scrutiny stem from Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariff regime, unveiled on April 2, which imposes a baseline 10 per cent duty on imports from most countries. Japan faces an additional 14 per cent country-specific tariff, bringing its total rate to 24 per cent. Furthermore, Tokyo has been affected by a separate 25 per cent tariff on automobiles, alongside other sector-specific levies justified on national security grounds.

In response, Japan has submitted a comprehensive package of proposals to Washington since the initial talks in mid-April. This includes initiatives for joint supply chain collaboration on semiconductors and critical minerals, enhanced cooperation in shipbuilding, increased US agricultural imports, and streamlined safety regulations for foreign-made vehicles, according to sources familiar with the matter.

By Vafa Guliyeva