Overview

• President Trump said he will notify Japan of potential reciprocal tariff increases over its refusal to import American-grown rice.
• In a Truth Social post, Trump labeled Japan “spoiled” for shunning U.S. rice despite reporting a domestic shortage.
• The temporary 90-day pause on Trump’s reciprocal tariffs reduced Japanese duties from a 24% minimum to a flat 10% rate.
• Japanese officials blame structural policy issues for the rice shortage and are considering emergency imports to bolster supply.
• White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt highlighted that Japan’s rice tariffs reach 700%, underscoring the administration’s reciprocity approach.