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TOKYO: Japan 's envoy for upcoming tariff talks will depart for Washington to meet senior US officials on Wednesday, the government confirmed. Japan has not escaped President Donald Trump's trade blitz despite the close strategic and economic ally being the biggest investor into the United States. The levies include 25 percent on cars and a "reciprocal" duty of 24 percent on most other Japanese imports -- suspended last week for 90 days along with most other nations.
In addition, Japanese steel and aluminium imports into the world's biggest economy face a tariff of 25 percent, while Japan is also included in Trump's blanket 10 percent levy. Economic Revitalisation Minister Ryosei Akazawa "will leave on April 16 for the US and will be back on 18th" a cabinet office spokesman told AFP. The spokesman did not give further details but Akazawa was expected to meet treasury secretary Scott Bessent and trade representative Jamieson Greer.
The visit comes after Trump suggested he could temper the auto sector, adding that he was "very flexible" and "looking at something to help some of the car companies" hit by his 25 percent tariff on all imports. Akazawa, who has a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) from a US university, is reportedly close to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba . Bessent said Monday that trade talks with Japan would take place on Wednesday, and with South Korea next week.
"It's going to move fast," Bessent told Bloomberg TV. South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo said Monday that while Washington remained "hardline" it was "showing some flexibility in areas such as reciprocal tariffs and item-specific duties". "We have now entered a critical phase of negotiations with the US government," Han told a cabinet meeting.
"This global trade war, led by the United States, could ultimately become a catalyst to improve the lives of our people and elevate South Korea's export competitiveness, depending entirely on how we respond," he said. Indonesia's chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said Monday he and other high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Sugiono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, will also head to Washington on Wednesday..
