Ishiba says won't forgo Japan's interests for quick trade deal with Trump
Shigeru Ishiba said he will not rush into a trade deal with the US that would hurt the nation's interests, while an opposition party head said the premier still sees a large gap in stances between the two nations.
Ishiba is expected to meet US President
Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Group of Seven leaders gathering in Canada starting on Sunday, but Ishiba said the time and date for the bilateral has not been set.
'If there's progress before I meet the president, that's in and of itself good,' Ishiba told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. 'But what's important is to achieve an agreement that's beneficial to both Japan and the US. We will not compromise Japan's interests by prioritising a quick deal.'
The prime minister spoke following a gathering with opposition party leaders to discuss US tariffs. After the closed meeting, Japan Innovation Party co-leader Seiji Maehara told the press that Ishiba said there is a large gap in stances between the United States and
Japan
The coming summit gathering in Canada is viewed as a potential moment for Japan and the US to reach some kind of an agreement after two months of back and forths. Failing to get any kind of deal there could worsen Ishiba's standing ahead of a national election next month as the tariffs threaten to push Japan's economy into a technical recession.
Ishiba said he cannot say how far the negotiations have progressed, and that he does not have a timeline for when an agreement may come, Maehara said.
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