TOKYO (Reuters) -U.S. tariff negotiators appeared reluctant to lower levies on cars, steel and aluminium in a recent meeting with Japanese counterparts – a stance that made the Japanese side feel that cooperation could be difficult, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday.
U.S. negotiators including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Japan’s top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa and other Japanese officials in Washington on Thursday and presented a proposed framework for a trade agreement, the paper said.
During the meeting, Japan explained an outline of measures it would take to reduce its huge trade surplus with the U.S. such as reviewing non-tariff barriers on auto imports and expanding purchases of U.S. agricultural goods, the Nikkei said, citing sources it did not identify.
Later on Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a TV interview that “the tariffs, represented by the ones on cars, are absolutely unacceptable.”
“Reduction of (the U.S.) trade deficit should be possible … and we’ll make efforts to reduce it, but that should never sacrifice Japan’s jobs,” Ishiba told an interview with Fuji News Network.
(Reporting by Leika Kihara, Satoshi Sugiyama and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, Aidan Lewis)
