On July 6, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on Fuji TV that Japan is preparing for all possible scenarios regarding the new tariff rates recently notified by the United States.
- On July 4, U.S. President Donald Trump signed documents to notify trading partners of new tariff rates.
- The U.S. plans to send notifications for 12 countries on July 7, but the specific countries have not been disclosed.
- Ishiba reaffirmed Japan’s firm stance in demanding the removal of tariffs on automobiles, saying, “Without that, there will be no negotiations.”
- On an NHK program later, Ishiba emphasized that Japan is working “in defense of national interests,” and that “there will be no easy compromises; negotiations will take time and be tough.”
Opposition and coalition party leaders also commented:
- Noda Yoshihiko, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, called for direct talks between leaders, including phone calls, and stressed the need to diversify trade partners, warning that “the U.S. poses too much risk as a trading partner.”
- Saito Tetsuo, head of the Komeito party, suggested that new economic measures may be necessary depending on how negotiations unfold.
by MagazineKey4532