Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is reportedly giving up on plans for an early meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump before the upcoming G7 summit. Instead, the Japanese government intends to hold bilateral talks during the G7 Summit itself to address tariff negotiations between the two nations. While Japan hopes to achieve significant progress through ongoing preliminary discussions, the current stalemate increases the likelihood of prolonged negotiations.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on Monday that Ishiba met with Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa at the Prime Minister’s Office to receive an update on tariff negotiations.
Following the briefing, Akazawa told reporters that an immediate resolution through direct talks between the Prime Minister and Trump was unlikely, suggesting that an early agreement would be difficult to achieve.
The Japanese government had previously considered a Prime Ministerial visit to the U.S. before the G7 summit in Canada, scheduled for June 15-17. However, this plan has been effectively abandoned. Japan now aims to continue working-level and ministerial discussions to lay the groundwork for productive negotiations at the summit.
Akazawa confirmed that the two leaders would meet at the G7 and stated that it would be impossible not to discuss the tariff issues during the meeting. He added that during negotiations, they are always considering what potential outcomes can be achieved and what kind of discussion could be enabled between the two leaders. He explained that the agreement they are aiming for is complex by nature and cannot be resolved with simple terms and that numerous items need to be coordinated at the working and ministerial levels.
Japan is comprehensively reviewing various issues, including the U.S. reciprocal tariff clauses, import tariffs on automobiles and steel, and the link between exchange rates and digital taxes. While the Trump administration is pushing for concessions from Japan while maintaining high tariffs, Japan is carefully calibrating its response to protect domestic industries and consider public sentiment.
If Ishiba and Trump reach a political agreement in a separate meeting held during the G7 Summit, detailed working-level negotiations are expected to follow. Akazawa acknowledged that concluding the talks would take time, hinting at the possibility of extended negotiations.
The Nikkei reported that Japanese businesses are closely monitoring the government’s negotiating strategy, as the summit’s outcome could significantly impact tariff levels for Japanese companies operating in the U.S. Industries with high export volumes, such as automotive, steel, and electronics, are particularly monitoring the potential impacts.
