President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba|@WhiteHouse|X
President Donald Trump joined high-level trade talks with Japan on Wednesday, signaling urgency after his sweeping tariffs shook global markets.
Joined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump met with Japanese officials to discuss tariffs, trade fairness and defense costs.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the talks were “candid and constructive,” adding that Trump prioritized the negotiations.
The US has imposed 10% to 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and imported cars. Japan was temporarily spared from broader tariffs but faces growing pressure.
Trump aims to reduce the $68.5 billion US-Japan trade deficit and secure more military spending contributions from Japan, which is planning to double its defense budget to nearly $10 trillion by 2027.
Meanwhile, China’s Xi Jinping is touring Southeast Asian nations Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, pitching China as a stable trade partner amid Trump’s escalating tariffs, some reaching 145% against Chinese imports.