Japanese PM Seeks Tariff Talks with President Trump Before August 1 Implementation

Japanese PM Seeks Tariff Talks with President Trump Before August 1 Implementation

[Tokyo, July 19, 2025] —
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday expressed his willingness to reopen talks with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding tariffs, as the deadline for the new U.S. tariff policy, set to take effect on August 1, rapidly approaches.

Speaking after a meeting in Tokyo with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Ishiba urged that discussions on the matter—particularly involving Japan’s chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa—be advanced “quickly and actively,” according to the Kyodo News Agency.

Ishiba said he is prepared to speak directly with President Trump if necessary to protect Japan’s “national interest.”

The Japanese news agency Jiji Press reported that during the meeting, Bessent expressed optimism that a “good deal” could be reached between Tokyo and Washington.

Scott Bessent is currently in Japan to attend the U.S. Independence Day celebration on Saturday at the World Expo in the coastal city of Osaka, western Japan.

Japan and the United States are currently negotiating an agreement that could exempt Japanese goods from the 25% U.S. tariff, which would otherwise severely impact Japan’s exports to the world’s largest economy.

The Ishiba administration is hoping that Bessent’s visit will intensify the negotiations and lead to a deal before the August 1 deadline.

It is worth noting that on July 7, the Trump administration announced an increase in “reciprocal tariff” rates for several countries, including Japan. Unless an alternative agreement is reached, a 25% tariff on Japanese goods is set to take effect from August 1