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US and Japan Express Confidence but Stall on Trade Details as August Tariffs Approach

Japan’s chief negotiator will head to Washington next week to seek last-minute concessions before across-the-board tariffs rise to 25 percent

Overview

  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, reiterating that a mutually beneficial trade deal remains achievable
  • The two sides avoided any detailed discussions of tariff terms during meetings in Tokyo and at the World Expo in Osaka
  • Across-the-board US tariffs on Japanese exports are set to jump from 10 percent to 25 percent on August 1 if no agreement is reached
  • Three months of negotiations and six formal rounds have failed to bridge differences over a 25 percent levy on Japanese auto imports
  • Japan’s upcoming upper house election threatens the ruling coalition’s majority, potentially weakening Tokyo’s bargaining position