key takeawaYS
- Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru had a call with US President Donald Trump on 7 April, which was followed by an announcement that they would begin ministerial trade talks.
- The Ishiba government is still working out its approach, starting with naming a chief negotiator, but is still prioritizing negotiations and domestic relief over retaliation.
- However, Ishiba could be constrained in bilateral talks, as both Japanese elite and public hostility to the Trump administration has grown.