Easy Trade Concessions to US Will Weaken Japan

To safeguard the national interest, Japanese negotiators should avoid easily making concessions in trade talks with their United States counterparts. It is especially important to maintain this stance in the face of the Trump administration's high tariff policy. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has characterized that policy as a "national crisis."

Recently, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization Ryosei Akazawa held a second round of tariff negotiations with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other American officials. Among the topics the two sides discussed were trade expansion, non-tariff trade barriers, and economic security. They also agreed to hold intensive ministerial negotiations from mid-May onward.

When reporters asked whether a summit agreement in June is likely, Akazawa expressed his hope that "we can get to that stage." The next G7 summit is scheduled for June, and a summit meeting between Ishiba and US President Donald Trump could possibly coincide with it.

Speed is Not in the National Interest

Given the magnitude of the damage that Trump's tariffs will cause, negotiations cannot be allowed to drag on. To reduce economic uncertainty, it would be useful to anticipate the course of negotiations. After all, conditions could change dramatically overnight, depending on President Trump's words and actions.

*Minister of State for Economic Revitalization Ryosei Akazawa (right) and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shake hands before trade talks in Washington DC. (Pool photo by Kyodo)*

Even so, we should stick to the target of a June agreement and avoid rushing negotiations. Prime Minister Ishiba was perfectly correct when he stated, "We must not prioritize speed to the detriment of national interests." Yet the Ishiba administration will be sternly tested as to whether it can act resolutely and live up to these words.

The Trump administration suspended the implementation of some reciprocal tariffs for 90 days. That is set to expire in July. An Upper House election is also scheduled for this summer. If the Ishiba administration attempts to move too quickly to conclude a deal before then, the Trump administration may sense desperation and pressure it to make major concessions.

Consider Japan's Negotiating Card

Trump has adopted a confident stance, stating, "We're in a favorable position" in tariff negotiations with Japan and others. In reality, however, he is facing turmoil in the financial markets and declining approval ratings. Therefore, he may feel a sense of urgency to demonstrate the success of his tariff negotiations. Such factors need to be calmly assessed during negotiations.

Akazawa has not disclosed details of what was discussed during the second round of negotiations. However, the focus was expected to be on Japan's safety regulations for American cars and measures to expand imports of American agricultural products. We need to carefully consider our negotiating cards to win over the US side without damaging our national interests.

Mr Trump likely wants to use the success of negotiations with Japan as a springboard to gain an advantage in negotiations with other countries. Conversely, how Japan fares in the negotiations is also a matter of great interest to other countries.

The Ishiba administration must note that if it offers easy concessions, it could undermine the world's trust in Japan.