The United States reportedly made several requests of Japan in the first round of tariff negotiations on Wednesday, ranging from automobiles to farm produce.
In response, Japan’s chief negotiator asked the US side to prioritize the items, according to multiple Japanese government sources.
Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei met President Donald Trump at the White House, and later held talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials.
During the trade talks, the sources said US negotiators made a series of requests based on a US Trade Representative report on “foreign trade barriers.”
A photo of the negotiation table on the US side shows what appears to be that report with sticky notes.
The sources said the US officials pushed the Japanese side to review Japan’s safety standards for automobiles, calling them a “non-tariff barrier” that prevents American cars from entering the Japanese market.
The sources also said the US officials listed rice, meat, seafood, potatoes and other products as trade items of interest.
Meanwhile, the sources said Trump claimed the US has a massive trade deficit with Japan, and that he wants to bring it down to zero.
He also alleged there are no American cars running on Japanese roads, and that Japan does not buy farm produce from the US.
According to the Japan Automobile Importers Association, sales of American cars in Japan in fiscal 2024 exceeded 10,000 units, excluding Tesla.
Japan also imported 14.9 billion dollars’ worth of US agricultural products in 2022, or 7.7 percent of US global exports of those commodities, according to the US Bureau of Industry and Security.
The sources also said Trump complained that Tokyo is not shouldering enough of the costs involving the US-Japan security alliance.
Akazawa ‘heard about Trump’s attendance on plane’
Akazawa says he was informed while on his plane to Washington of the president’s intention to attend the talks.
Akazawa appeared on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s YouTube channel, and said he had not known of Trump’s plan to participate before boarding the flight.
Akazawa said he wondered what was happening when officials from the foreign and industry ministries, who were also on the plane, rushed up to him. They showed him Trump’s social media post saying he would attend the meeting with the Japanese delegation.
Akazawa said the officials were in their pajamas and the information came as a big surprise.
Recalling the meeting with Trump, Akazawa said the US president had asked if he could talk a little before the start of the ministerial meeting. Akazawa said Trump spoke while glancing at a small notepad in his hand.
The Japanese minister said he clearly remembers the president speaking passionately in his own words on matters that seemed to be non-negotiable. Akazawa also said there were several topics Trump almost forgot to mention, but was reminded of by his notepad.
Akazawa added he gave Trump a gold-colored piggy bank in the shape of Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the World Expo, now underway in Osaka.
Akazawa said he gave it to Trump at the end of the meeting and invited him to visit the Expo. He said he thought it would be the ideal gift for Trump as he likes gold.
