Japan silent on Trump tariff threat, vows 'sincere' trade talks
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said Japan seeks a mutually beneficial deal with the United States through ongoing negotiations.
Trump on Tuesday threatened to hike tariffs on Japan to 30 percent or 35 percent, upping the ante before a 90-day reprieve from his "reciprocal" tariffs expiring on July 9.
His comment came as rounds of ministerial negotiations between the two countries have so far failed to yield an agreement. Trump also expressed frustration over U.S. exports of cars and rice to Japan.
"We are aware of what President Trump said, but we don't comment on every remark made by U.S. government officials," Aoki said.
"We intend to advance bilateral talks in a sincere and faithful manner toward reaching an agreement that will benefit both Japan and the United States," he also said.
The United States has slapped tariffs on a variety of products, from cars and auto parts to steel and aluminum. Despite the three-month pause on the reciprocal tariffs, a baseline duty of 10 percent is already in place.
Of the higher duties imposed on U.S.-bound shipments, a 25 percent import tax on cars is a severe blow to the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., given the importance of the U.S. market to their bottom lines.
Trump has turned to tariffs in a bid to reduce his country's massive trade deficit with Japan. When Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with the U.S. leader in mid-June, they failed to strike a deal due to persisting differences.
Japan has been urging the United States to rethink its tariff measures and reach a mutually beneficial deal that would likely involve more Japanese investment, but its efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
"I'm not sure we're going to make a deal. I doubt it," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, labeling Japan "very tough" and "very spoiled."
Ahead of a key parliamentary election on July 20, both Ishiba and Ryosei Akazawa, the prime minister's close aide and Japan's top tariff negotiator, have stressed that the government will not rush to make a deal at the expense of national interests, with particular emphasis on protecting the agricultural sector.
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