Overview

• Ryosei Akazawa departed Haneda for Washington to push for swift U.S. implementation of mutual tariff relief and lower automobile duties.
• Speaking before his flight, he said staff-level coordination had advanced to the point of ministerial talks and urged prompt issuance of a presidential order.
• Ishiba administration officials signaled they expect President Trump may sign an order during the visit, a view reported as an outlook rather than a confirmed plan.
• Reporting indicates Tokyo and Washington are considering a joint document that would confirm roughly $550 billion in U.S.-bound investment.
• Akazawa rejected calls to move up the LDP leadership contest, saying the Ishiba government should deliver on wage gains, a new disaster agency and the tariff agreement.