US and Japan Focus on Second Round of Tariff Talks in Mid-Next Week

The United States and Japan are expected to begin their second round of tariff negotiations as early as the middle of this week.

According to a TV Asahi report on April 23, Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's Minister for Economic Revitalization and the official in charge of tariffs, is coordinating a visit to the United States on April 30 for the second round of U.S.-Japan tariff talks. The report stated that Minister Akazawa has conveyed to those around him his intention to visit the United States as early as April 30.

NHK also reported, "The Japanese government has proposed to the U.S. side to hold the next round of negotiations after the middle of next week," adding, "A plan is being considered for Minister Akazawa to depart for Washington, DC at the end of this month." The Mainichi Shimbun reported that Minister Akazawa's visit to the United States is being coordinated for early next month.

The United States and Japan began their first round of tariff negotiations on April 16 (local time) in Washington, DC, and have agreed to coordinate their schedules for a second round of talks within this month.