key takeaways
- Mutō Yōji, Japan’s minister of economy, trade, and industry traveled to Washington on 10 Monday in pursuit of exemptions from the Trump administration’s impending tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as sounding out the possibility of exemptions on other pending trade measures.
- The talks did not yield any commitments on the part of the US, suggesting Japan will face new tariffs within days.
- The Ishiba government’s response will be constrained, however, as it seeks to avoid friction that could damage the broader bilateral relationship.
Japan Foresight 