Japan eyes tariff deal with US ahead of G7 Summit

FILE: Ishiba meets with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, 7 February 2025. (Photo By 首相官邸 (PMO)/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

 By Jiji Press, Philippine News Agency

MAIZURU, Kyoto Prefecture – Japan will continue its tariff talks with the United States in hopes of finalizing an agreement during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada this June, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday.

“We will further advance discussions, with the G-7 summit in mind,” Ishiba told reporters during his visit to Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan after the two countries held the third round of ministerial tariff negotiations Friday.

Ishiba noted that during a recent phone call, he and US President Donald Trump agreed to work toward sealing a deal during their expected meeting on the sidelines of the G7.

Highlighting potential areas of bilateral cooperation, Ishiba said the US is keen on whether its warships could be serviced in Japan.

“The United States is interested in whether US warships can be repaired in Japan,” he said, adding that the country is ready to provide such assistance as part of proposed bilateral cooperation in the area of shipbuilding.

“Japan has an advantage in icebreaker technologies,” he stated, adding that this area, including the issue of Arctic shipping routes, will become more important.

The talks are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen US-Japan economic and defense ties amid shifting global trade dynamics.