Ishiba states no talk with Trump on auto tariffs at top

Trump acknowledges Japan’s US big investment, job creation

LNG, steel, AI and cars are locations Japan can purchase US

Nippon Steel will operate under US management, personnel

Japan will not raise defence spending without public support

TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba revealed optimism on Sunday that his nation could prevent higher U.S. tariffs, git.soy.dog saying President Donald Trump had “acknowledged” Japan’s big financial investment in the U.S. and disgaeawiki.info the American tasks that it creates.

At his very first White House top on Friday, Ishiba informed public broadcaster NHK, grandtribunal.org he explained to Trump the number of Japanese car manufacturers were developing tasks in the United States.

The two did not specifically talk about auto tariffs, Ishiba said, although he said he did not understand whether Japan would go through the mutual tariffs that Trump has said he plans to enforce on imports.

Tokyo has up until now got away the trade war Trump let loose in his first weeks in office. He has revealed tariffs on goods from Canada, prazskypantheon.cz Mexico and China, although he held off the 25% responsibilities on his North American neighbours to permit talks.

The intensifying trade stress given that Trump returned to the White House on January 20 threaten to rupture the international economy.

Ishiba said he thinks Trump “acknowledged the truth Japan has been the world’s biggest financier in the United States for 5 straight years, and is for that reason different from other nations.”

“Japan is creating many U.S. tasks. I think (Washington) will not go straight to the concept of greater tariffs,” he said.

Ishiba voiced optimism that Japan and the U.S. can avoid a tit-for-tat tariff war, stressing that tariffs must be put in place in a manner that “advantages both sides”.

“Any action that exploits or omits the other side will not last,” Ishiba said. “The question is whether there is any problem between Japan and the United States that calls for enforcing greater tariffs,” he included.

Japan had the greatest foreign direct financial investment in the United States in 2023 at $783.3 billion, followed by Canada and Germany, according to the most recent U.S. Commerce Department data.

Trump pressed Ishiba to close Japan’s $68.5 billion yearly trade surplus with Washington but revealed optimism this could be done rapidly, provided a guarantee by Ishiba to bring Japanese financial investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion.

On Sunday, Ishiba determined liquefied natural gas, steel, AI and automobiles as locations that Japanese companies could invest in.

He also touched on Trump’s promise to look at Nippon Steel purchasing U.S. Steel, championsleage.review rather than buying the storied American company - a prepared purchase by Trump and obstructed by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

“Investment is being made to guarantee that it remains an American company. It will continue to operate under American management, with American employees,” Ishiba said. “The crucial point is how to ensure it remains an American company. From President Trump’s viewpoint, this is of utmost significance.”

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