Remarks at Prime Minister's Residence Press Conference
"Thorough Investigation into Impact on Domestic Industry and Employment"
On April 2 (local time), one day before the implementation of reciprocal tariffs by the Donald Trump administration in the United States, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru stated, "We will continue to strongly demand that Japan be excluded."
According to Kyodo News and Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Prime Minister Ishiba made these remarks during a press conference at the Prime Minister's residence on the occasion of the passage of the 2025 fiscal year (April 2025 to March 2026) budget bill, emphasizing, "We will thoroughly investigate the impact on domestic industry and employment and prepare necessary measures."
He also expressed his intention to urgently coordinate the specific contents of tariff response measures with the ruling party. Previously, Japan had continued consultations with the U.S. side after President Trump announced tariffs on automobiles and reciprocal tariffs, but has yet to achieve results such as exemption from tariff imposition.
Prime Minister Ishiba said that in response to the U.S. tariff policy, special consultation desks would be established at 1,000 locations nationwide to listen to the opinions of small and medium-sized enterprises and alleviate their concerns. He added, "If business activities are affected, we will make every effort to ensure financing," and announced plans to promote projects that provide management advice and support measures.
When asked about the possibility of personally engaging in tariff negotiations, Ishiba stated, "The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are currently consulting with U.S. officials," indicating that discussions among ministers are important for now. He continued, "If it is judged appropriate to go to the U.S. when the overall picture of (tariff negotiations) becomes clear through discussions among the responsible ministers, I will not hesitate to do so," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, on March 31, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released the "2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE)," which is expected to serve as the 'standard' for future U.S. reciprocal tariffs. The report maintained a relatively moderate tone toward Japan compared to China and others. The report stated, "The United States and Japan continue to implement the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) and the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement (USJDTA)," but added a caveat that "progress is lacking in agriculture, digital trade, and regulatory transparency."
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