Trump and Ishiba Hold Phone Talks... U.S.-Japan Summit to Be Held Next Month

Leaders Discuss Tariff Issues
Fourth Round of Tariff Negotiations Expected Around May 30

According to reports by Kyodo News and Jiji Press, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a phone conversation for approximately 45 minutes on May 23. It is anticipated that the U.S. and Japanese governments will hold a summit meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, which is scheduled to take place in Canada in mid-June, to discuss tariff issues.

Jiji Press reported that the two leaders may have discussed U.S. tariff measures during their conversation. NHK commented, "It appears that Prime Minister Ishiba directly exchanged views with President Trump in order to facilitate future negotiations."

Japan is expected to hold a fourth round of negotiations with the United States around May 30.

According to Yomiuri Shimbun and other sources, Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's Minister for Economic Revitalization and the official in charge of tariffs, departed for the United States on the morning of May 23 and will participate in the third ministerial-level tariff negotiations on May 24, Korea Standard Time.

On the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, who had participated in previous negotiations, will not attend. Instead, only Jamison Greer, the representative from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are expected to participate. After the third round of negotiations, Minister Akazawa plans to return to Japan, and then visit the United States again next week to hold the fourth round of negotiations with Secretary Besant, who leads the U.S. negotiation team.

Additionally, Yomiuri reported that the U.S. and Japanese governments are expected to hold a summit meeting to discuss tariff issues on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada in mid-June.